Dalida Tape 5.2.2009 Poem by Margaret Alice

Found my ancient Dalida tape, listened to
SALMA YA SALAAMAH – went away and
returned safely – sung in Arabic, the time
so different from Western beat - counting
eight beats before returning to the begin-
ning, so strange to my Western-trained
three-four time ears

But lovely, keeping time by making a full
360-degree hip rotation and singing with
the help of phonetics, FID-DUNYA – the
world – AL-KABIIRAH – the big; Oh, this
enchanting Arabic, strange culture, I’m
delighted, singing her first love called
her back; I saw visions of a handsome
Egyptian, though found out

She meant her country, Egypt; throwing
herself into Egypt’s lap, how romantic -
her heart is still inscribed in a tree in a
garden; so overjoyed by these words,
I try to sing with her in phonetics – FII
SHARAJAH - ‘AYWA MAWJUUDAH
QALBII FIIHA; SALMA YA
SALAAMAH...

2 May 2009