Long Dissipating Poems

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...

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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...

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I question my own interplay of psychology and political science.
Does this too facilely root analogy within ecology of climate health v pathology?

Intersections of sociology and psychology are at least academically commonplace.
I have a friend with...

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Moby Dick, a novel by Herman Melville, published in London in October 1851 as The Whale and a month later in New York City as Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. It is dedicated to Nathaniel Hawthorne....

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"The Call of the Grimoire" 


when Exalibur was retrieved 

from the rock, then foolishly 
and irretrievably lost 
in that dreadful battle most worthless

the imps encouraged 
the once good Poesie folk 
to jeer and throw pebbles

the...

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the sky erupts monsters
sky erupts monsters forming
erupts monsters forming wreaking
monsters forming wreaking havoc
forming wreaking havoc shattering
wreaking havoc shattering serenity
havoc shattering serenity bolts
shattering serenity bolts of
serenity bolts of hell
bolts of hell deluge
of hell deluge descending
hell deluge...

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Quietly, the memory of my grandfather manifested itself,
In the colors and shimmers of the Holy Spirit, 
I saw his human face,
The familiar lines, the flesh,
The pair of oceanic eyes, slowly blinking 
Smiling,
Like a heavenly beam
Splashing...

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Threatening clouds above
Send in lightning of love
I rove through raindrops of fall
Overall, I’m feeling my way through trees so tall
The air is dissipating the despair in my heart
All along, you tried to fix my heart...

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Erlenkönig knelt to the ground, his urge to destroy Reginn was strong but he knew it was one or the other. Rid yourself of Reginn or stop this coup.  He chose to stop the...

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It was glorious ...

A glorious, glowing morn ...
crimson crept up the sky, as if air-brushed ...
little round globs of fair-weather clouds tiptoed on the reach,
(so as to not wake the moon, laying down its head...

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11. They came to devour and sin.
I was briefed by a cornucopia of beings:
From Torchwood, ARGUS, SHIELD and their kin;
The Talamasca, The Shop and MiB Greens;
A BPRD agent who was burning in Hell;
The Syndicate, Consortium,...

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The Hammer and the sickle were emblazoned on its tower
This underwater enemy would demonstrate its power
The submarine, in covert mode, torpedoes at the ready
The crosshairs on the monitor were holding nice and steady

The captain said,...

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I was a famous, American actress, who adored performing for live audiences,
In stage plays, both modern and classic, like velvet time, which often rushes.

Rose acclaim filled long, chaotic days, of colorful masquerades and fulfillment,
Like Sleeping...

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Regardless of culture,
of religion,
of national residency,
of gender,
of sexuality's vast pantheistic diversity,
of hemispheric prime presidency,

When humans step out of our shelters
into a riotously gorgeous
and fresh
perfect warm sunshine breezy
natural day,
we feel healing positive passion

Is what we have...

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I’m lost within his gentle gaze, swallowed whole in the bluish hews
Of old blue eyes, my heart melts within his tender gentle embrace,
This romantic bard whom speaks poetry without words expression!
Dancing moon lovers are we,...

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God, my mother told me,
You are the embodiment of love.
Since then, I have adored you most.
But I wonder do you understand me?
I read your book in the foreign language
of those who rule us.
Are you on...

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"If someone listens, or stretches out a hand, or whispers a word of encouragement, or attempts to understand a lonely person, 
extraordinary things begin to happen."
~Loretta Girzartis        ...

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Time
By Kevin Robey
April 7, 2013

When I was 19, where were you then?
I was in the dark, burning in the flames
Confused, lost in space, dead in a spin
Rolled the dice like my life was a game

I...

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#Sekani
To North Africa we went, when names of the current generation made no sense, we took to ourselves to bring not only Africa back to us but joy and laughter, peace of mind that every...

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An unexplored Adventure !!!
I know what will be !!!

There is an emptiness, creating – depression – a hole
that a deep sadness fills – thoughts of it, take their toll
on an alone heart that seeks a...

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we stimulate our minds for our intellect to grow
becoming more technical
remaining spiritually slow

so we face trials and tribulation
crisis and complications
praising God, while serving Satan
expecting love when spewing hatred

our faith is dissipating 
until its totally forsaken
for...

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the coffee that Lenin drank as he plotted revolution, the coffee that Hitler and Stalin drank with FDR as they divided up the world after World War 11, the cup that JFK drank before he...

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The passing years

Throughout all these passing years, I have had so many fears
as I sent my children – those spiritual pieces of my soul –
out into this old, cold, cruel world, like little, fragile whirlwinds,
to...

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"Phoenix Wings"



Suede heart turns tin star 
wears the shining part
on the outside stitched up

blue silk now 
glistening

tears in time forgotten 
justice in the frozen cut glass 
criminal, wasted memories

clairvoyant signs 
electric lines writes and 
truth...

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Packed like sardines
inside a jeepney*—
Too full,
with a jeepney strike going on.

Rushing, 
mother and child ride along.

Greasy, dirty, malnourished…
The woman holds a can—
a makeshift drum.
Little boy hands out envelopes,
he looks like he's 3 years old,
he's most...

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