Long Perseveres 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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MY WEDDING DAY

I called her honey, baby, 
My best friend, my bride,
You are so beautiful. 
She looked at me with smile face, 
Smiling loudly.

I said, 
“Oh, God bless me with a wise 
And humble woman!
Today,...

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We love William Brangham of the PBS News Hour.William encourages accountability in the things that  we do and PBS News wants us all to abide by the rules so that no one gets abused...

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98LcbCkhqJs

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""Patience... !" -

trembling-wanton - 
weary-the open-hand."   


"BOUND... !" - lowly-lands,  
rise-quietly - kiss; The-Son!""  


""Benignity-Simple, Holy; Smitten-
promenades... dandling along with-
them as would-He With-Child - yes;
exulted; undefiled - 

"Love-gracious--always; knows-faith;
surrendered......

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WHY 13 TOPS MY WEDDING CAKE

A cherubim approaches the celebratory podium,
a fifteen tier cake in her congratulatory hands.
The pews, full of spectators - ready for a heavenly slice,
fragrant oil poured from above, stirs hearts where...

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When my words touched your soul

Sincerely I could understand how much you 
Appreciate me and accept me wholeheartedly. 
Frankly I have betrayed my Conscience, 
I have deceived you 
And I have denied my words before...

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O' Cenobite, Dar'est Thy Soul Await

Alas! By what right is such assailing
amidst uproar, then half-truths a'telling
Does not morn gift upon grass falling dew
yet truth perseveres despite what others do
Aye! But 'tis not fickle applause a...

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In the realm of true love, a man stands tall,
He never hides his feelings, he bares them all.
He fights for what’s right with unwavering might,
And never gives up on the ones he holds tight.

Sacrifices he...

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….and maybe I won’t know 
your heart’s travels and all those feelings. 
So much lost, chasing those single moments 
in our timeline…and maybe I held too tight to a love
I found myself having to let...

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Three things in life last forever 
 Faith, hope and love
 The greatest is love
 God is love
 He that abides in love
 Abides in God
 And God in him

Success begins in our lives
When the...

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 In the manicured meadow 
of woeful weeds,
where hope sprouts amidst
forlorn fragrance of frozen seeds,
I dance to the hypnotic breeze,
hanging on saintly strings with
cosmic eyes, unraveling the
emerald iris of sacred skies,
orchestrating songs 
of sonorous seasons,
searching...

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In all honesty
I believe Love is actually blind
That she lost her road
And headed straight 
Into the mess, she lays in today
I hope we all find her, bathe her and clothe her
Cos she's really a mess...

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Resolved was I to exercise,
To utmost try to slenderize.
From flabby bod I'd poundage peel
To Grecian god beneath reveal.

But soon my straining torso frail
Becomes complaining, moaning male.
I parts exert unused for years,
Resulting hurt benumb with beers.

To...

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Religion-propped ~~~ toward virtuous deed
I thank my parents’ example indeed
Instilling, imparting practical creed
“Do good works; and such will God bless to breed.”

With that perspective, I learned to do right
Midst litanies of dos, shoulds, musts, oughts-plight
Making...

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Neither puppy love nor lust, each insists
in its imperfect play. Their hearts resist
both by clinging in its barbaric way.
Youth forgiven. The wolf begs her to stay. 
But a commitment is made in marriage. 
It is...

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“1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom...

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In the endless kingdom of time, where clocks are silent and years dissolve,
Existence weaves smiles with the mirage of immortality, faultless,
Man, a traveler towards the infinite, through melting icebergs of moments,
A dancer at the eternal...

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True, I do practice the act of introversion quite a bit,
But why should I be blamed? To what am I to admit

When I am not the transgressor in question?
I am not typically one to act...

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One of a kind angels on Earth would wrap us in their wings
The kind of heavenly love only a mother could bring
Perseveres through the seasons of change,our Mom, a beautiful butterfly
Nurtured our colorful creativity as...

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Even angel whispers
And angel testimonies
Are counted much as nothing
If love brings no harmony

Even heaven’s atmosphere
Will not refresh the soul
If there is no love to offer
Healing to make you whole

Even the song of angels
Will not sooth...

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I’m put upon to ponder the problem of poetry
& thus, I proudly or, perhaps, perfunctorily,
Ponderously pronounce with a preponderance,
Even a plethora, of p’s:

Poetry is pithy, prankish and perky,
Pertinent and impertinent, too
It’s prophetic, pathetic, pragmatic and...

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GOLDEN TEARS & MEMORIES
 
Aged & worn, in a car, emotions to the brim,
He sits alone, where light grows dim.
Whispers of the past through silence, swim,
Golden tears fall, as memories steam.4

Once, laughter filled this space,
Her...

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Freedom of thought and expression could lead one astray.
Always there exists the temptation to tread on dangerous ground.
Ingrained ideas and habits become lax.
Therefore, ever careful one must be.
Happiness cannot be found only in material things....

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The Christian life is no easy task
it requires you to be considered last
to give yourself to serve others
moving on forward forget the past

When one comes to know Christ
life changes in so many ways
one wants to...

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