I do not come to mourn, but come to celebrate: For Omar Sharif

By Henrik Eger

Omar Sharif hugging his grandson, Omar Sharif, Jr.

I do not come to mourn, but come to celebrate: 
For Omar Sharif, the Sultan of Cinema,
The Bridge between Arab life and all of us

I do not come to mourn, but come to celebrate Omar Sharif, the Sultan of Cinema. 
I do not come to mourn, but come to celebrate the actor of actors, the man of men. 
I do not come to mourn, but come to celebrate his Russian Zhivago, his Arab Sherif Ali.
I do not come to mourn, but come to celebrate the Egyptian, the citizen of the world.

Omar Sharif, wherever you are on our journey into timelessness, 
you have left behind the kind of magic that makes me look up at the sky 
and see you as a star that shines, in spite of your foibles, 
making you a very human star. 

I do not come to mourn, but come to celebrate Omar Sharif, 
the Bridge between Arab life and all of us,
the sultan of cinema, the star that shines— 
even now.

Fare thee well, auf Wiedersehen, bedrood, Ma' Alsalam, مع السلامة, Omar. 
Ma' Alsalam, Omar. مع السلامة. 

PS: Your love for life lives on in your family, 
in that moving embrace of your grandson, Omar Sharif, Jr., 
and in the memories of millions whose lives you’ve touched. 

I do not mourn, but celebrate your life, Omar Sharif.


Henrik Eger

If you are interested in publishing or adapting this copyrighted poem by setting it to music, staging or filming it, etc., please contact the author. ​

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