“The legendary Lebanese singer and greatest living Arab diva” BBC, 2008

A river wide and deep,
befriending fields and night stars, 
trees and open skies.
Outshining poetry and melodies, 

its grace touches snow 
and cedars alike. It reshapes 
meaning and leads to a safer space.
A moon we can look up to

despite our flaws and burdens.
Like a mirror, she invites us 
to admire ourselves. A lifetime 
dedicated to lifting art above 

the mountains of Lebanon. 
The voice of Arab nations,
seeking a pure beauty
despite civil wars, continuous losses.

Fayrouz stood, sang, resisted, 
and helped us grow and bloom.
Her voice-- sacred, extraordinary– 
is a daybreak, a beginning.

A confirmation that transformation 
is possible, that hope has hope.
Her singing renders words complete, 
and lends language new dimensions.

Her songs let poets, artists, writers, 
and anyone sipping coffee 
on rooftops overlooking other rooftops 
affirm that life has merits, 

that it fully deserves embracing.
Through her gifts we recover joy, 
understand freedom without borders, 
beyond politics, culture, the ordinary.

We return to Fayrouz for joy and inspiration, 
we yearn her songs as we yearn for home 
after a long absence, remembering
that Fayrouz stood tall, to liberate us all.