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Mother's Day

from SyrianamericanA by Omar Offendum

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about

An ode to my beloved mother, written over a beat I created using samples from Asmahan's 'Imta 7ata3raf (When will you realize)?" -- youtu.be/rkAzmXkolIE

lyrics

Verse 1:

My Fatherless growth...
could have easily meant loss of all hope
but mom was the rope
reeling me in when I couldn't float
For i'd have eloped with dope if she hadn't taught me to cope
opened up my scope of vision overcomin' the 'khawf' (fear)
7izn imprisoned me though...livin' with images so
vivid...witnessin' his visage turn livid in turn did it's
part to turn this disenchanted heart rigid

'imta 7ata3raf imtaaaa?'
(when oh when will you realize?)

My mother's plea steadily echoed in the back of my mind
Beggin' to see the same optimism of when I was 9...
Hard to believe that Omar curly's innocence may have died
but now she tells me with pride...that she sees him in my eyes
and I can only hope that one day I'll live up to the name
His humility and distaste for fortune and fame...
Holdin' me tight night after night saying "7abibi ma tinsa" (don't forget my love)

'innee ba7ibbak inta'
(indeed I love you)

Verse 2:

Knee-deep in "ithm" (sin)
praying it won't reach my neck
Drowning in guilt...stilts needed to catch my breath
This "tawbah's" pathetic, but even still, I'm glad that I said it
'Cause I ain't never been the type to do somethin' and regret it
But Karma's a _____
and this time, I gotta repent
"Ya rub-bee ighfirlee wa li-walidayyah" (Oh Lord forgive me & my parents)
now & again
succumbin' to sin
can happen to the strongest of men
then again

'imta 7ata3raf imtaaaa?'
(when oh when will you realize?)

the Holy Qur'aan's
wisdom & enlightenment spawned
verses for persons on this earth in search of guidance along
with a sense of purpose with respect to what they're worshipping for
sheddin' the nervousness that surfaces when hit with a prob-
lamenting over it ain't soberin' if shoulderin' all
the blame of shameless misbehaving
When the aim of it all is to learn from mistakes
just make sure you're takin' it all
with a grain of salt - before the train of life comes to a halt

credits

from SyrianamericanA, released July 4, 2010
Prod. by Omar Offendum

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all rights reserved

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about

Omar Offendum New York, New York

Omar Offendum is a rapper, spoken word poet, and theatrical storyteller. He was named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist and Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient. His off-Broadway hit production "Little Syria" has sold out venues across America - including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music, CAP-UCLA, and Joe's Pub at The Public Theater in NYC. ... more

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