Poetry in the news

"Yesterday's edition of the weekly tabloid al-Itijah al-Ahkar (The Other Direction), for example, splashed a the banner headline scoop of a "Saddam poem to Arab leaders smuggled from his cell through a means not yet revealed."

The 16 lines of Arabic poetry attributed to Saddam warn Middle East leaders, "I drank the cup of poison, and sooner or later you will drink yours."

Declaring himself "the Muheed" (military commander without equal) Saddam's purported poetry goes on to chide Arab leaders to "beg (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon for forgiveness" since they utterly failed the cause of Arab nationalism by allowing his defeat."

from The Toronto Star