Arabic Poem by Naomi Shihab Nye
Arabic
The man with laughing eyes stopped smiling
to say, "Until you speak Arabic,
you will not understand pain."
Something to do with the back of the head,
an Arab carries sorrow in the back of the head,
that only language cracks, the thrum of stones
weeping, grating hinge on an old metal gate.
"Once you know," he whispered, "you can
enter the room
whenever you need to. Music you heard
from a distance,
the slapped drum of a stranger's wedding,
well up inside your skin, inside rain, a thousand
pulsing tongues. You are changed."
Outside, the snow has finally stopped.
In a land where snow rarely falls,
we had felt our days grow white and still.
I thought pain had no tongue. Or every tongue
at once, supreme translator, sieve. I admit my
shame. To live on the brink of Arabic, tugging
its rich threads without understanding
how to weave the rug…I have no gift.
The sound, but not the sense.
I kept looking over his shoulder for someone else
to talk to, recalling my dying friend
who only scrawled
I can't write. What good would any grammar
have been
to her then? I touched his arm, held it hard,
which sometimes you don't do in the Middle East,
and said, I'll work on it, feeling sad
for his good strict heart, but later in the slick street
hailed a taxi by shouting Pain! and it stopped
in every language and opened its doors.
Nice one...i liked it, , clear 10 The Language-No barrier Wednesday,29th July 2020 you touch the heart of a man and speak some kind words as a human there shall be no surprise when mind reads some promises Dr.Jadia Hasmukh
You write wonderful poetry from your experience of travelling the world. This is a masterpiece and very emotionally strong write. Loved it. 'I thought pain had no tongue. Or every tongue at once, supreme translator, sieve. I admit my shame. To live on the brink of Arabic, tugging its rich threads without understanding how to weave the rug…I have no gift. The sound, but not the sense.'.. is wonderful write. Thanks.
Tug, rug, mug! Muse of the Arabic Language! ! Living on earth. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
I thought pain had no tongue. Or every tongue at once, supreme translator, sieve. I admit my shame. To live on the brink of Arabic, tugging its rich threads without understanding....Pain is like that unseen powerful entity, wrapes thoroughly whole mind which is the pure driver of body and life; Poetic expression showed here that pain how bitterly pervaded all over the human life……impressive poem penned; I enjoyed
Yes unless and until you know Arabic how can you know the pain as they are loaded with burdens on the back.... Simply a beauty adorned with the truth and words unique 10+++
I thought pain had no tongue. Or every tongue at once, supreme translator, sieve. I admit my shame. To live on the brink of Arabic, tugging very fine poem. tony
I thought pain had no tongue. Or every tongue at once, supreme translator, sieve. - - - -An awesome poem- - Pain can be felt and expressed without the help of any language.
I thought pain had no tongue. Or every tongue at once, supreme translator, sieve. - - - -An awesome poem- - Pain can be felt and expressed without the help of any language.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/7/2024 5:11:46 AM # 1.0.0.1119
Naomi Shihab Nye has a very awesome and unique talent and the way she sees the world around herself teaches us to see better the world around us. Greatness lives in her pen. I'll work on it, feeling sad for his good strict heart, but later in the slick street hailed a taxi by shouting Pain! and it stopped in every language and opened its doors.