call to release jordanian poet — ii
Suzan Abrams posted two poems from Grace like a Shadow by Islam Samhan, the Jordanian poet imprisoned in October 2008 for writing love poetry that incorporated verses from the Koran. According to her site these aren't the poems that got Samhan in trouble. Since I do not know Persian or Arabic I cannot do an immediate translation but I include one here in case someone does:
قر يباً من البحر
قريباَ من البحرِ كنتُ ألملمُ الخطى التي تركـَتـْها أنثى الأمس،
حبيباتي خطى الحبيبة ،
غريبة الطلا ّت في زبدِ الشاطىء تلـّوحُ بشالِ أنوثتها ،
دفقٌ من الغيب و الغياب يجتاحُ روحي ،
يذوب الرجلَ جُوّاي ،أصيرُ وليمة لكلب البحر،
لا بد أن أجمعَ نسيجي ،
كي أشكـّله أنثى تمشط الطحلبَ النامي على صدر الذي خذله الترقب عند البحر،
آه لو آنها خلعت ثوبَ النخلةِ وغدت شتلة ْ
لو آنها تركت قصاصَ أوراق وتركتْ عنوانا على الرمل،
لرمل حليفنا تحتَ خطوتها اليتيمة،
أنا اليتيم عند لؤم تقشفها في الحب، أنا المُكَسّر
I wrote a second sonnet earlier today in response to the idea that some people's faith is so weak and fragile that a mere poem could shatter it. I am not a Koran scholar and yet apparently Jordanian religious leaders know so little of their own faith as to imprison a poet for writing love poetry. I might be an infidel but at least I am not that ignorant of the teachings of Islam. Damn.
What were his words? How were they used? Between
which noun? which vowel? Which word caused his ban?
There is an erotic world barely seen,
untouched, in the pages of the Koran,
as there is everywhere. I do not fear
it. The poet, the lover, the madman
all roam in it, as do you. The Fakir
and the Dervish are there. So is the Khan
and the Sheik. All of us. Tell me which small
words caused you such pain your only relief
was to jail poets? Show me a Mullah
so weak. Let me sing his words; prove to all
nothing can shake this world you call belief
others call life and I erotica.
Glossary
Fakir – A Muslim or Hindu religious follower, a wandering monk, commonly considered a miracle-worker.
Dervish — Any member of of various Muslim ascetic orders, as the Sufis, some of which carry on ecstatic observances, such as energetic dancing and whirling or vociferous chanting or shouting.
Khan — A title of respect used in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and other countries of Asia; a tribal chief.
Sheik — The patriarch of a tribe or family; chief: a term of polite address.
Mullah — In Islamic countries a title of respect for a person who is learned in, teaches, or expounds the sacred laws.