Long Sprig 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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The bones of winter cracked the ice black, coal black night.
A hoary wind spits frost crystals that dazzle and blur the sight.
Boney fingers of bare deciduous wood, scratch against the eaves
as the stranger's tread crackles...

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An evanescent bouquet of skewed briars,
is how a tinsel laden tawdry essence wickedly unfolds,
scuppered signpost to my fetid human compost,
faint light pendant on soul crushed quantum migrant,
who might chortle at vivid veil flimsy vacuum,
skirt recklessly...

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Matsuo Basho Haiku: English Translations of haiku about seasons, spring, rain, moon, flowers, blossoms, wind, river, etc.

Blame the rainy season
for my absence,
old friend Moon.
—Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

For yet a little while,
the pale...

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In this, the fairest city of romance, and inside the marvelous museum

to which I have made my first pilgrimage as a lover of art,

I stand in contemplation, mesmerized by my first look at an original...

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5.
You are the glory of our love supreme, 
love in my heart as I gaze upon you. 
We find glory in our own love’s Moonbeam, 
this is a dream I shall ever walk through.

My beloved,...

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Interpretation:

Lying beside my cold, stale ashes
I feel the dawn preparing her day
With little, hushed peaceful gestures

Then upon opening my eyes, I greet her crimson smile
Slowly peering over the horizon, whilst over I turn
And say good...

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An evanescent bouquet of skewed briars,
is how a  tinsel laden tawdry essence wickedly unfolds ,
scuppered signpost to a fetid  human  compost,
faint light pendant on soul crushed quantum migrant,
who might chortle at vivid...

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Ah, the fortitude of a circle
the circular wisdom 
of  spring to summer  fall to winter  
the spinning wheel’s twist of threads -
at once both self-reliant and reliant

my soul to embryo  seed...

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Don't forget to remove the Bay leaves from the
pot.
Make it easier on yourself
put the bay leaves and rosemary sprig
in a cheese cloth.
I'm in most incline to agree
yet some deemed them useless
almond ash and hickory ash
was...

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Dry rotted benches all splintered and frail. 
Transparent spirits fill the isles and the air. 
   In the old decrepit church they try to stay seated,
while the Malicious Eulogy is hellaciously completed.
 ...

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I felt a sharp thrill in my heavy heart, 
But hardly knew if that tip of a dart 
Was caused by delight, fear or curious mind, 
And felt an eerie, strong urge truth to find,...

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I absconded with reader rabbit (Peter), to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day

Ah Sheik Hog - Ho!
One "FAKE" Wingman Flying
Via O'hare To Dublin y'know
Cuz, The Leprechaun within
me, seeks young sprig poe
whet tick friend in toto,

though nowhere to...

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My Friend Pine Tree 

Away, quite away from my nearby Allen Forest
One day I was moving on a hill top 
On a Himalayan mountain hill
I found myself standing 
Before a beautiful and majestic Pine tree

The...

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Our great Balboa has left the hillock bare
And two waters converge in evening mist
Where from our vision he made us stare
As the divided dimensions rose and kiss
So sleep the sailor, so sleep the caravel
So sleep...

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Winter is now showing. You can tell it by the falling snow. Its flowing down from 
the sky. All through the air. The wild wind is blowing it.

The fluffy white stuff is piling up high....

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I watched it as it was born in the drenching rains of spring, 
Cool condensation drops left over from winter's cold, 
As it grew and grew and finally pedaled 
Into a white, but, quite young...

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I watched it as it was born in the drenching rains of spring, 
Cool condensation drops left over from winter's cold, 
As it grew and grew and finally pedaled 
Into a white, but, quite young...

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7/25/21. Hope Cycle

Grief, like Love, is a seasonal thing.
It comes and seems to last forever,
Driving its tentacles deeper
Than it seems possible to penetrate;
Forcing the oozing of emotions
It didn’t seem possible to touch.
And then, entangled, the...

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periodontal disease the bane
of Homo Sapiens, 
   and many a canine species 
   such as Great Dane

or an alien pet smart tumblr trying to feign
bing the best faux pas footed friend...

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Ranger was buried a few months ago
Rave grieves silently at his tombstone
She thinks of Ranger’s life not of his death
Recalling the qualities of his breadth
In wisdom, humor, sensitivity and depth
Raven remembers how his arms felt...

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another typical day, with feet on the ground
  ordering the hedge to meet my image of trim
  many measured bits fall before the cutting edge
  casual thoughts detach, is there anybody in...

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The Apple of His Eyes

reflected in the pond, the fruit
held precious in the lady’s hand.
polished by mistake; the loot
gathered with a serpentine backhand.

the limbs of oz took hold, as
the man held out his unwise hand.
the...

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- a solo nijuin renku -

English version by Liviu Martinescu

the first butterfly
erupting crater
or sap at work in the grove

           a mountain sprig on fire
 ...

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