War / Torn

Hasan Namir

• Publisher: Book*hug Press
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN:
  9781771664936
• eBook ISBN:
  9781771664943
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Middle Eastern Poetry
• Index: Literature

2020 Stonewall Book Award – Barbara Gittings Literature Award Honor Book

Lambda Literary Award-winner Hasan Namir';s debut collection of poetry, War / Torn, is a brazen and lyrical interrogation of religion and masculinity—the performance and sense of belonging they delineate and draw together. Namir summons prayer, violence, and the sensuality of love, revisiting tenets of Islam and dictates of war to break the barriers between the profane and the sacred.

Against the Wall

Nothing Greater (I)

The family fails

Run!

I let you run

What about you?

I will see you over there

What about you?

In God’s Jannah

There is nothing greater than Allah

I have no regrets no fear

I feel no pain pain I feel

Shath Lotee Lotee Shath

No I feel no pain but fear

I feel no fear but fear I feel

Push me already Push Push

Push Push Push Push Push

Let me Lotee let me Shath

Push—

Let me sink and rise—

Allahu Akbar

Allahu Akbar

Mosque/Internal

MOSQUE
EVENING
INTERNAL

Fadi stares at himself in the mirror

sheikh: Homosexuality is unlawful in Islam / It is neither accepted by the state nor by the Islamic Society / Quran clearly states that it is unjust unnatural transgression ignorant criminal and corrupt / I have collected verses from the Quran which clearly show us this haram… (Fade out)

FLASHBACK
ADAM’S BEDROOM
INTERNAL

Fadi and Adam kiss passionately on the bed,

tongues interlocked

sheikh: If two men among you commit indecency / punish them both / If they repent and mend their ways, let them be/ God is forgiving and merciful

MOSQUE
EVENING
INTERNAL

Yusef scans the area and looks for Fadi

sheikh: God says / You lust after men instead of women / Truly you are a degenerate people

MOSQUE
WASHROOM
EVENING

INTERNAL

Fadi washes his hands and face and glimpses his own reflection

ADAM’S BEDROOM
EVENING

Fadi and Adam continue to kiss shirtless / soaked / in sweat / breathless

sheikh: Do you commit indecency with your eyes open lustfully seeking men instead of women? Surely you are ignorant people

INSIDE
THE
CAR

Yusef gazes at them through his window
Fadi is down on Adam, who moans, eyes wide shut
Yusef’s face a masquerade filled with shock and anger
Yusef’s car drives past them
Fadi stops and looks up at Adam

adam: Shit I hope someone wasn’t watching or anything

HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE
NIGHT
INTERNAL

Among the crowded audience, Yusef sits all alone, uncomfortable and nervous
Fadi and Adam wear dress shirts and dress pants, stand together
Behind them is a background that illustrates a street in Verona

adam: Hand me a torch / I hate dawdling along / Because I have a heavy heart I will carry the light

fadi: No, Romeo / We want you to dance too

adam: Not me / I assure you / You have on dancing shoes with light soles

Fadi draws his sword against Stuart, a high school student, a drama diva

In the audience, Yusef puts his hand on his jeans pocket. His hand shakes in fear

fadi: Tybalt / you rat catcher / will you come with me?

In the audience, Yusef’s hand shakes as it reaches for the gun

adam: Mercutio / put up your sword

On the stage, Fadi and S...

Table of contents

• More praise for War / Torn
• Contents
• Lotee & Shath
• Blood Spot
• Against the Wall
• The Mornings I Kissed SaddAM
• Jannah
• Glossary
• About the Author
• Colophon