Tribute to Omar Sharif

Omar Sharif, the Egyptian actor best known for his work in Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, died July 10, 2015, at the age of 83. Henrik Eger penned this tribute to him.

Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia, 1962.
Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia, 1962.

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

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