The Britannia Club at 26 Rue Fuad, “proof of the British ability”:
we danced with Durrell’s future friend the painter Clea Badaro
during the summer the Burg el Arab served as base for Indian troops,
the long-threatened concert party having descended in force.
We danced with Durrell’s future friend the painter Clea Badaro,
marching about in a snake dance including the band at the Excelsior,
the long-threatened concert party having descended in force.
Since spring, Geneva has thrown open her home to soldiers.
Marching about in a snake dance including the band at the Excelsior,
air raid in the middle, buffet afterwards, breakfast for sixteen.
Since spring, Geneva has thrown open her home to soldiers,
the Choremis, the Benachis, the Casullis, the Salvagos and others.
Air raid in the middle, buffet afterwards, breakfast for sixteen,
the Karam Palace became very grand, almost too grand I’m afraid.
The Choremis, the Benachis, the Casullis, the Salvagos and others
rushing about like mad, celebrating in Pastroudis, dead with Cavafy.
The Karam Palace became very grand, almost too grand I’m afraid,
the glamorous women of Alexandria founded the best reference library.
Rushing about like mad, celebrating in Pastroudis, dead with Cavafy,
holding thirty percent of all the shares of banks and limited companies.
The glamorous women of Alexandria founded the best reference library,
during the summer the Burg el Arab served as base for Indian troops.
Holding thirty percent of all the shares of banks and limited companies,
the Britannia Club at 26 Rue Fuad, “proof of the British ability.”
~ Anis Shivani
Anis Shivani is the author of My Tranquil War and Other Poems (2012), The Fifth Lash and Other Stories (2012), Against the Workshop (2011), Anatolia and Other Stories (2009), and the forthcoming novel Karachi Raj (2013). Other books recently finished or in progress include two books of poetry; a novel; and two books of criticism, Literature at the Global Crossroads and Plastic Realism: Neoliberal Discourse in the New American Novel. Anis’s work appears in the Boston Review, Threepenny Review, Iowa Review, London Magazine, Cambridge Quarterly, Times Literary Supplement, and many other journals.
‘Alexandria in World War II’ is a found poem, taken from Michael Haag’s Alexandria: City of Memory (Yale, 2004)
Featured artwork: ‘Bea and Alan at the ball’, by Joanne Renaud