The Heart of Lebanon

Poem by Hiba Sobh
Image by Ramzi Abi Saab

Close your eyes, and imagine,
the rush of fast jazz, as beautiful and chaotic
as the flurry of waves,
the touch of glasses
as words that
disappear and appear
are endless in the seas of conversation,
these oceans are held in their homes,
the cafes and hidden restos of Mar Mikhael,
golden watercolor washes over the lights of Downtown,
a living painting of Paris,
where wandering youth find themselves within the company of eyes,
and hearts touch,
as the stars in the clear night sky of the Beqaa,
vast and deep within
It’s light, as the waters of unseen depths,
where fishermen of the seaside wait patiently,
as cats sleeping under the sun,
touching the papers of readers
as they watch the dawn, rising from the mountains,
where the Cedars, majestic and gracious,
live within the heights,
as the heart of
Lebanon

Hiba Sobh is a second-year English major.

Ramzi Abi Saab is a senior majoring in Information Technology and Operations Management.