We Have

By Mazen Kerbaj

Translated from French by the author

Lebanon’s Mazen Kerbaj mourns what’s left of his pillaged country in this graphic literature piece.

October 1, 2012

Published in Oil

Lebanon

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page One

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Two

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Three

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Four

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Five

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Six

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Seven

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Eight

Mazen Kerbaj's Graphic Work We Have, Page Nine

We have oil to sell
Bring the drillers and the pipes
Get it out of the earth
And drink it!
And when you're stuffed let us know and we'll make you a coffee

We have huge tracts of land in deserts and oases
Invade it
And build fortresses on it

We have sunny coasts
Tan your armadas on their shores

We have a lot of money—thanks to your kindness
Put it in your banks
And in the hands of specialists

We have traditions
Show what amuses you
And tell us what would offend the public

We have veiled women
Spy on them from the smoked windows of your armored cars

We have clans and tribes
Use them in wars
We have professional flatterers and destroyers
Employ them in your public debates

We have nations that we don't want
Divide them according to your needs
Take a piece from here
A mountain from there

We have flocks of swallows
We used to have flocks of swallows
The ogre ate them one day
Cola™

Mazen Kerbaj

Mazen Kerbaj is a Lebanese comics author, visual artist, and musician born in Beirut in 1975.

Outdated Browser

We Have

Mazen Kerbaj

Read Next

Dear B.

Celebrating Our First Ten Years

Foodie World Kid Lit: Food and Eating in International Children’s and YA Literature