The “Project Six” group, which brings together an elite group of Baalbek intellectuals, honored Nizar Francis in Baalbek.
As part of its series of cultural activities, the group honored the poet Nizar Francis at the Baalbek Palace Hall.
The event was attended by a group of connoisseurs of language, poetry, art, and literature.
Nizar Francis opened the gathering in Baalbek with a welcome speech by Dr. Mahdi al-Jamal on behalf of the youth of “Project Six,” which began with a tribute to the poet Francis.
He said, “We gather today to encounter the sincere word and the emotion that transforms into letters.”
He continued: “For Nizar Francis, poetry is not merely meter and rhyme, nor is it simply arranged words; for him, poetry is a state of being, a feeling, and a memory.”
He concluded: “Today, the presence of the poet Francis among us is in itself a cause for joy, because poetry is a space for humanity.”
In turn, the poet Francis recited his poem, in which he sang the praises of the city of Baalbek, saying:
“Will the path alone guide you?
The silhouette of a horse’s hooves—that is your path.
Just walk it, and you’ll reach your destination
Before it, time stands bewildered and confounded
Where the passage of time has never been your companion
Where you feel no pride in your heart
Where the stone does not touch you with kindness
May Baalbek be upon your brow.”
A number of poets recited poems of their own, and the words embraced Lebanese folklore to the accompaniment of poet Issa Raad’s rababa and artist Shawqi Awad’s oud.
In conclusion, the young people of “Project Six” presented poet Francis with a painting depicting the archaeological site in Baalbek.
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