Martyr for Truth

Bubbling over with charm, full of life and still young,
Dynamic and sure in his ardor and strong;
His life was devotion with a radiant smile
For he lived to help others and all the while
He lived for his fellows and for the nation
To be sovereign and free, that was his passion.
Keen love of his land and its people were shown
By his deeds and by means that all have known.
From North to South he was everywhere found
He was orator, leader, and combatant sound,
Like his grandfather, father and every relation,
Each for the nation a stone of foundation
For the Holy Land and the gods’ own nation.,
Whose sons die for its glory without hesitation.
On the eve of the day that marked Independence,
A prince among martyrs of noblest ascendance,
Brinmming with manhood of years thirty-four,
Bearing the Truth that would shine all the more.
With courage he offered himself and died
For the cause of our nation, our country, our pride.
Our heroes come from a noble stock
As you Peter come from Gemayel the Rock.
Pierre, like my children, schooled by the Brothers,
Star of dark nights, loved of fathers and mothers.
Full of pride and of strength like our towering mountains,
Resistant, eternal, like our rocks and our fountains.
Lebanon, Fatherland, our cause does inspire,
Lord of Heaven and of Earth, leave our frontiers entire!
Pierre, you have lived the virtue of grandeur,
The virtue of heroes, with love full of splendour.
All of these values corruption refuse,
The hero says No to the ignoble ruse.
‘Tis fiery youth that storms the gate
Of injustice, of crime, of violence and hate.
Apostle of love on this earth and of truth,
You revolted then died in the beauty of youth.
‘Twas the church of St. Rita the Saint you had left
When she called you to heaven from earth bereft.
In a street full of people just north of Beirut
Murderers waited with plans how to shoot.
Criminal bands inspired by the devil,
Mafia intent on doing all evil,
Thirsting for blood with hands drenched in gore,
Killing the blameless like others before,
Criminal hands, all moved by a soul
Which knows only hate on hell’s payroll.
Cease all this killing for however you try
To hide your foul crime from human eye,
Before God’s tribunal what will you feel,
There where from him you can nothing conceal?
Against the whole nation, against mankind,
Terrorist crime of horror refined!
Pierre, young prince by the murderers killed,
Your place by more heroes will soon be filled.
Your President father with sorrow distraught,
Your mother distressful and overwrought,
Your spouse and children, Alexander, Ameen,
Will follow your footsteps as shall be seen.
Sister Arzeh, pious nun, whom I admire,
Your prayer will give him a halo of fire.
I admire his courage, his youth and his zeal,
For his love for his country his death was his seal.
Some families noble are chosen by fate
To suffer much pain for a destiny great,
But our fight and resistance are only more sound
When the blood of the martyrs is spilt on the ground.
After six thousand years of serving mankind
All eyes are upon us and see us defined
By the radiance of Lebanon that spreads far and wide
In time and in space and in hearts deep inside.
O Peter, the sun shares tears of light
To bear you away to heaven’s delight.
But the plotters of evil will fall into a night
Of blackness and horror where there is no sight.
God’s justice is sung in the psalms of old
But Mary’s children are safe in her fold.
On this day of November a human tide
Attends the dirge of one who defied
And plants the Cedar so all may see
In the Square of the Martyrs a flourishing tree.
The city’s cathedral looks down on an ocean
Of national flags that wave with one motion
And numberless voices acclaim that young man
Who wanted for Lebanon a place in the sun.

Joseph Matar
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Translated from French: K.J.Mortimer