Tony

To the soul of my beloved cousin Antoine George Yammouni

By Charbel Baini

Translated by Elias Shaanin

1

Why is there so much pain upon us?

And why are there tears nested in our eyes?

Departed are those who were our elite 

Many loved names have been wiped from this world

Marie departed and Clark her brother as well 

While the voice of Marcel still echoes

And today, we lost Tony the beloved only son

Who once encircled us with happiness

Our woes would have increased and tipped the scale

If it wasn't for the tenderness of God

Surely, we would have all gone mad.

Where are you Carmen to embrace the loved one

Your son, your only endeared son

On his way to meet you, you can tell the mighty God

Bou Elias in our heart you will dwell evermore.

2

Your guitar is silenced and its strings torn apart

And your melodies will awfully miss you

Discourses fell in love with your words

And birds soared to the seventh heaven.

Elias, your only son will embrace his sisters

Whose heads are bowed to the ground

And Lena, the happy loving mother

Is now stricken by an unknown influx of pain

And the tears of overwhelmingly envy 

The burning tears in your sisters' eyes

Today, I swear by your valued life

Your picture will be etched in our heart,

For the rest of our lives and for eternity

**