I'm not sure if it's realistic or not, but the New Year always fills me with hopes for peace. The Winter Solstice starts that process, and the cathartic idea of the new year follows up with an "out with the old, in with the new" type of energy. But sometimes, a voice that is "old" brings us "new" insights. 

With all the hub-ub about diversity, immigration, refugees, and religious dialogue, I thought it would be nice to share a poem from a very renowned, very ancient Syrian poet. His name was Abu 'L'Ala Ahmad ibn 'Abdallah al-Ma'arri. Not surprisingly, he is most often referred to only as al-Ma'arri. He was born in Aleppo, and lived from about 973-1057 CE.

Often quoted as a “humanist” or “atheist” writer because he challenged all religions on their hypocrisy, he is called one of the great poets of the Arabic world. He has poetry addressing topics like peace (versus war), leadership, morality, and the sanctity of life.

Speaking of sanctity of life, he became a strict vegetarian (vegan) late in life. The poem I am including here reflects that. It is entitled, “I No Longer Steal from Nature”:

You are diseased in understanding and religion.

Come to me, that you may hear something of sound truth.

Do not unjustly eat fish the water has given up,

And do not desire as food the flesh of slaughtered animals,

Or the white milk of mothers who intended its pure draught

for their young, not noble ladies.

And do not grieve the unsuspecting birds by taking eggs;

for injustice is the worst of crimes.

And spare the honey which the bees get industriously

from the flowers of fragrant plants;

For they did not store it that it might belong to others,

Nor did they gather it for bounty and gifts.

I washed my hands of all this; and wish that I

Perceived my way before my hair went gray!

            I think he is a great writer to contemplate, since his subject matter gives us some ways to reflect on our own times. I wish us all peace and blessedness during the new year.

*Translation of the poem is from: http://www.humanistictexts.org/al_ma'arri.htm