A Symphony of Integrated Dualities: Bilal Al Masri’s “Because of You” as a Manifestation of Grand Poetry By Cao Shui(China)

A Symphony of Integrated Dualities:

Bilal Al Masri’s “Because of You”

as a Manifestation of Grand Poetry

By Cao Shui(China)

Founder of the Poetry Movement, Asia Coordinator of the World Poetry Movement, China Coordinator of the BRICS Writers Association, and Chairman of Beijing International Poetry Film Festival.

In the landscape of contemporary world poetry, Bilal Al Masri’s “Because of You” emerges as a luminous testament to the power of cultural and existential integration—a core tenet of the Grand Poetry Movement I advocate. Translated from Arabic by Dr. Anba Jawi MBE and Dr. Mohamad Haj Mohamad, this collection transcends linguistic and geographical boundaries, embodying the movement’s ideals of unifying Eastern and Western cultures, bridging ancient and modern sensibilities, and reconciling the sacred and the secular. Through his searing imagery and paradoxical insights, Masri crafts a poetic universe where contradictions coexist, inviting readers to witness the beauty of a world stitched together by shared humanity.

The integration of Eastern and Western cultural traditions is a defining strength of Masri’s work. Rooted in the rich poetic heritage of the Arab world—with echoes of Sufi mysticism and the stark realism of war-torn Lebanon—his verses simultaneously engage with Western literary traditions, from existentialist philosophy to modernist experimentation. In “Jasmine rises like bullets,” Masri merges the Eastern symbolism of jasmine as a symbol of purity with the Western metaphor of bullets as instruments of destruction, creating a jarring yet profound image that transcends cultural divides. Lines like “Bread resembles a stab-wound” evoke both the biblical imagery of bread as sustenance and the harsh reality of violence in the Middle East, blending two cultural frameworks to articulate a universal truth about suffering and survival. The translators’ meticulous work preserves this duality, ensuring that the Arabic original’s rhythmic cadence and the English language’s precision complement each other—a harmonious fusion that mirrors the Grand Poetry Movement’s vision of cultural synthesis.

Masri’s poetry also masterfully integrates ancient and modern sensibilities, breathing new life into timeless themes while confronting the crises of the contemporary world. His exploration of life, death, and existence echoes the philosophical inquiries of ancient Greek thinkers and medieval Sufi poets, yet his voice is distinctly modern, shaped by the trauma of war and the alienation of modernity. In “Darkness,” he writes, “It’s hard to totally erase the dark. Were you to draw a thousand suns you wouldn’t banish darkness,” a sentiment that resonates with both the ancient wisdom of Ecclesiastes and the existential despair of 20th-century writers. Similarly, “The Path” reimagines the ancient metaphor of the spiritual journey through the lens of modern displacement, as strangers walk a desert guided by conflicting stars—an echo of both Sufi pilgrimage and the refugee experience of the 21st century. By weaving ancient symbols into modern narratives, Masri demonstrates that the human condition is timeless, and that contemporary poetry can draw strength from the depths of historical consciousness.

Perhaps most striking is Masri’s integration of the sacred and the secular, as he blurs the lines between the spiritual and the mundane to reveal transcendence in the most unlikely places. In “My Mother,” he elevates the secular bond of maternal love to a sacred realm, describing her silence as “a boat” and the sea as “a drop upon her palm”—images that evoke both the intimacy of family life and the cosmic mystery of divine presence. “I love you” challenges the secular arrogance of modern science, declaring that love’s light is the true path to salvation, while also affirming the sanctity of all living beings: “Each creature has a beating heart. We’re at the heart of Life bearing love’s pulse within, both I and you.” Masri does not shy away from the profane—his poetry is filled with the grit of war, poverty, and human failure—but he transforms these secular struggles into sacred acts of resistance. In “Please Be Cherishing,” he calls for compassion toward war-orphaned children, framing ordinary kindness as a holy duty that transcends religious and ideological divides. This synthesis of the sacred and the secular aligns with the Grand Poetry Movement’s belief that poetry should be both a reflection of everyday life and a gateway to transcendence.

In “Because of You,” Bilal Al Masri has created more than a collection of poems—he has crafted a universal hymn to the human spirit. Through his integration of Eastern and Western cultures, ancient and modern sensibilities, and the sacred and the secular, he embodies the essence of Grand Poetry, proving that poetry can be a unifying force in a fragmented world. His verses remind us that, despite our differences, we share a common humanity shaped by love and loss, hope and dream.