Long Pioneer 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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- - Chapter 2: Adult Responsibility (With Some Breaks) - -     

By ten years old, no weekends off, 
Or Saturday cartoons, 
Although I did have cash to spend, 
I felt my...

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I am an Outlander
Who lives on a high hill
Overlooking a man-made lake
That once was a rapidly rushing river
Along whose banks the Ozarks Bluff Dwellers and the Osage and then Delaware
Hunted, fished, and created shelter
For their...

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*** Notice to the residents of Milton Creek ***

Tom serves as mayor. never complaining, so he gets what he requests 
No blood in his steak, apple pie with sweet cream. Aces cooks that meal
to perfection...

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He was born in backwoods Missouri.
1840 the year he arrived.
Conflict, sickness and hard times prevailed.
Through it all he grew strong and survived.
Skills to live were a gift from his father.
Faith in God from his mother...

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Mentors with the BeeTrees

From NorthWinds
come darkening winter
as newborn discontent
waiting to spring forth.

From SouthWinds
come summer's diastasis
climax of full-born wisdom,
contentment for and from all four directions
spread across sleeping hearts
of each nighttime regeneration.

From normalizing WestWind toward East colonializing
patriarchal...

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What if I ,
Saw a waist-coated white rabbit,
Pass and disappear down a hole
Would I think I was going quite mad
Or would I want to follow him
As he exclaimed I’m late!  I’m late!
For a very...

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Bee-Real


As I flew up, into the air, 
I looked back one last time at the hive.
All the bees were standing there.
Some were happy and proud to see me go; some were still crying.
As they held...

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HEADSTONES AND CHATTELS 

‘Twas pure chance that I discovered
Just the other day,
A place passed 
Countless times,
Never had the thought of calling in,
Inner thoughts and misplaced fears
Oh there must have been countless other reasons
For one to...

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The Castle On White Otter Lake

That rustic, old log castle
Stands facing the lake.
Built by hand, by one man
To acknowledge his presence,
In a changing world, he felt
He could not participate in.
And so chose to live like...

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I was taught by   my father to be obedient in the dense forest to save the individuals trees, stop destruction to plantation. I cannot be silent under the detriment from lumberjacks to global...

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Today August 29th, 2021 sluggishness dogs yours truly

Forecasting to thunderous applause
fast as greased lightning draws
upon futuristic atmospheric gewgaws
hot air emanates out these slackened jaws
spluttering courtesy indentured maws
armed with four footed tall paws
gesticulations resembling horizontal seesaws....

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Kitchen counters alive; the vivid colors of red, green, purple and yellow glass jars. Your garden flourished.
.
Pickled beets mingle boiled eggs; a pretty periwinkle purple.
.
Yellow and purple tinted fingers; dandelions and elderberries distilling; musty aroma...

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Communities are built on pioneer toil and generational links,
with building, road and railway, applied to how a council thinks.
There’s sporting ties and country hall, to form the social hub,
and of course a meeting place -...

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Communities are built on pioneer toil and generational links,
with building, road and railway, applied to how a council thinks.
There’s sporting ties and country hall, to form the social hub,
and of course a meeting place -...

Read More

UNAMUSED BY YOUR SCARE TACTIC A HEROIN ADDICT ADDICTED TO FENTANYL PERCHED UP AT THE BIGGEST FENTANYL OPERATION IN CHICAGO SLEEPING IN THE SAME  BED WHERE TWO FAMILY MEMBERS DIED FROM THIS FENTANYL OPERATION...

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After amala and ewedu,
And after the round two of egusi and fufu.
Na im my eyes come dey pinch me,
Small small i dey close am.
Before i know i don dey doze,
Wetin we dey talk? I don...

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As I awake this morning
I remember a Barney song 
for my more oppositionally misaligned daughter.

I love you
and you love me
even if I couldn't realign my four B's,
Brain,
and Branches,
and Belly,
and Butt, 
these four aligned
good government.

If you...

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Dear Sam, hello it’s me, don’t fret
old friend whom I have never met.
I wrote a letter time forgot,
you may ask why, I ask why not?
A sad meditation of late
on our nation’s new police state -
its...

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Insomnia welcomed courtesy high test coffee

consumed later at night than usual
finds me bright eyed and bushy tailed
amply lively to learn 
about an American radio 
and television personality and pioneer
Wee Willy Weber,
who prominently and popularly reigned...

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Ah the cake before the icing!!!!!! 

Notes:

Aimee Semple McPherson (October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also known as Sister Aimee, was a Canadian born in Salford, Ontario. She was a Los Angeles–based evangelist and...

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On reflection, a shining  mirror lays my core ethos bear,
inkling etched on mien can’t escape deep probing,
tilted jaw, gleaming eyes, vivacious aspect,
express an ardent quest for exponential flourish,
in this life of mine, and its...

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The nights dispel wonders and awe 
The days unfold stupendous enigma
Angels are watching over you
As you battle this valiant crusade
A crusade for equality 
A crusade for stability
Enmesh with peace and honesty.
Angels are watching over you...

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Der Abschied (“The Parting”)
by Bertolt Brecht
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

We embrace;
my fingers trace
rich cloth
while yours encounter only moth-
eaten fabric.
A quick hug:
you were invited to the gay soiree
while the minions of the "law" relentlessly pursue...

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