New Bet Nahrain is a 2012 Assyrian poem written by my dad.
Bet Nahrain means between the rivers, a reference to the Assyrian homeland. The poem is a call for Assyrians to achieve self-determination in their homeland by uniting across denominational and dialectal lines in pursuit of their indigenous rights. Thereby, establishing a "New" Bet Nahrain in honor of their ancestors.
It has four sections, each written as 8-pentasyllabic couplets: three verses and a chorus that repeats after each verse. This rhythmic structure lent itself to the adaption of New Bet Nahrain into a 2013 orchestral performance.
A bit about the author...
Aug 2021
Apr 1952
- He designed the modest Sayfo monument in Armenia featured in the wikipedia article on Assyrians
- He's a mechanical engineer, listed as an inventor of 8 granted patents used in semiconductor manufacturing
- His grandfather was a deacon in the Chaldean Catholic Church
