Best Denier Poems

English translations of Arabic poems by Fadwa Tuqan aka "The Poet of Palestine"

Enough for Me
by Fadwa Tuqan 
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Enough for me to lie in the earth,
to be buried in her,
to sink meltingly into her fecund soil, to vanish ...
only to spring...

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The spider Queen, aloofly vain!
She rules a silent ruthless reign,
with black-bead eyes like pearls of rain
that damp the depths of her demesne. 
          .
            ...

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Fadwa Tuqan has been called the Grand Dame of Palestinian letters and The Poet of Palestine. These are my translations of Fadwa Tuqan poems originally written in Arabic.



Enough for Me
by Fadwa Tuqan 
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Enough for me to lie in the earth,
to...

Continue reading...

Stan the atheist walked a wire
Strung between two church spire,
However a forceful bell-ringing nun
Brought the non-believer undone,
Saying, that'll fix the religious denier....

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One liar said to the other liar,
“That’s some shaky vanilla truth,
I heard you done cold call sold.
With these lying eyes, do I scream with glee ... 
you left girl honesty 
hanging altar jilted at that reveal wed party.
Quick thinking on nimble toes!
Very cadaver clever of...

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That soft-spoken Sovereign commands a big stick, 
runs the world into ruins, once our bailiwick.
If asked why, He grins grimly, pale lips slightly pursed:
"Vindication? Straightforward: It's Me and Me First" 

(To mesmerise people He needed a spell
and to wreak such a rune, His soiled soul...

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Our prez is now Donald J Trump
Who has promised to clean out the sump
      Well he's certainly no wussy
      When groping a pussy
What more to expect from a gump?

In charge of the Vice, Michael Pence
Said...

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My Lords an adjournment is 
Called for...
All my retire;
But holding foremost in your
Thoughts,
I beseech ye,
Thee impudent countenance of
This most ardent denier.
Therefore heed me,
I caution all ye present,
Thou shall not disband;
Moreover, to reassemble at any
Sudden instance 
Of insistent and uncontested 
Demand.

So prepare ye to soar, Meretrix,...

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Hybrids,
like a good creole stew,
are amazingly viral cooperators,
competitively so,
reacclimating tastes toward richer anticipations.

We have all heard of social capital
and natural capital,
of social democrats as antisocial plutocrats
and cooperatively-owned capitalist corporations,
including bipolar republics, perhaps.

These are all forms of regeneratively healthy intent
to further cooperatively nurturing ecopolitics,
as contrasted to...

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Can a denier believe?
Can a man of God doubt?
Can a prisoner leave?
Can a king go without?

Can children die?
Can stars ordain?
Can songbirds cry?
Can deserts rain?

Can killers heal?
Can healers kill?
Can the sun melt?
Can it be felt?

Can the soul see?
Can my soul hear?
Can God be?
Can time disappear?


[posted 12/2012]...

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With my legs strong, two feet apart
Poser, poser, a quick photo opportunity
From front page through to pages four and ten
With my tail wrapped around my feet
And my coat hanging from my head
With my unbearable youth and 
The thick black out denier, coating my ego
With a...

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TRUMPETER
Sandpaper comments,
Intolerant, indignant,
White House jihadist.

UN denier,
Mega-tweeter, Putin’s pal,
Friend of common man?

Hair like swan feathers, 
Lips pursed in a brassy kiss,
No friend of Dizzy.

What Reveille wakes
Billionaire soldiers of change.
Your new president....

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Hope Held, Forever Loving Like This 

Left behind, glory and tragedy, fateful twins
Left behind, love and hate, desperate foes
Left behind, courage and fear, never friends
Left behind, youth and beauty, just way it goes!

Looking ahead, wealth and fame, seek great highs
Looking ahead, faith and love, aim...

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“It’s a total lie, never happened, fake news”, 
Trump utters these words every day,
And he utters them not because any are true, 
But to turn black and white truth into grey.

Then grey becomes a voice of “OK, it happened, 
But, really, it’s not a big...

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The censer clanks
the smoke rises.
An attempt is made
to hypnotize.
It wafts across
the naive
The priest like
a magician has
a trick he uses
to deceive.
The incense odor,
causes a spiritual
trip.
Chanting in Latin,
locks his grip.
Affecting only  
those who are on 
 a guilt trip.
A stronger odor 
fouls the air.
Stench from children...

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