The 'Flatiron' and the Ruins of Palmyra
To the Ruins of Palmyra this the “Flatiron” addrest:
“Did you ever in your glory
Dream of looking up to see my crest?”
To the “Flatiron” the Ruins thus replied across the sea:
“We were like thee yesterday,
To-morrow thou wilt like us be.”
From Myrtle and Myrrh (The Gorham Press, 1905) by Ameen Rihani. This poem is in the public domain.
Ameen Rihani
Ameen Fares Rihani, who is regarded as a founder of Arab American literature and a major figure in the Mahjar movement, was born in Freike, Lebanon, then part of the Ottoman Empire, on November 24, 1876. Rihani was one of six children and the eldest son born to a Lebanese Christian (Maronite) silk manufacturer. Rihani moved to New York City with one of his brothers in 1888 and began to learn English. Three years later, Rihani became an American citizen.