The TV brays
as the fall sunset catches
the dust and catches
in your eyes as it sneaks in our window.
And there you are.
You sing your song
and the words,
the deeper ones
the ones underneath,
flash in my vision.
Handwritten little subtitles.
You're happy.
And in this moment,
nothing could ever matter more.
In the debate between dubbing and subbing
I side with subs to savor the original
mellifluous French, Tamil, Korean, Italian...
Reading the subtitles assists the deaf
and hard of hearing although voiceovers
benefit the blind and vision impaired.
Historically dubbing was employed
by fascist governments to advance
the nationalist agenda. In our own time
the tendency to consider dubbers dumb
implies reading’s the indispensable skill.
My wife reads her mail while watching movies
so she prefers dubs. I admire her mastery
of two idioms simultaneously
but my limited bandwidth favors subs.
Twas the night before Christmas and on my TV
Netflix was trying to entertain me
I’d paid my subscription but what did I see
Movies I watched in Nineteen Eighty Three
*
There’s some that are newer but what would you think
The lips of the actors aren’t even in synch
And so when the actors get all touchy feely
The dialogue sounds like it might be Swahili
It takes me a while but I soon understand
The movie was made in a far away land
So that explains why the star talks like John Wayne
But looks like he hails from the Southwest of Spain
I try to recall how the subtitles work
I’m bashing the buttons like some kind of jerk
When I get it right the subtitles kick in
But then the screen fades out to leave the word…… ‘Fin’
My wife went to bed in a huff and I said
These foreign movies all mess with my head
Then Netflix suggestions include ‘East of Eden’
But I’m seeking films (with subtitles) from Sweden
Of course I just said that to shock you awake
Who looks at the subtitles for goodness sake
But this night before Christmas, I had no idea
What I found was no movie… just an ad for IKEA
this morning,
as i lay in bed
my eyes shut.
listening to my own heartbeat,
playing with the rhythm that is my very lifeline.
It was only a couple seconds, but
with all the sincerity i could conjure up
i thought that my heart had stopped.
i could not hear it nor could I feel it
beating in my chest.
and as if i had been writing my will
or on my deathbed,
having already accepted my fate,
it was the most peaceful couple of seconds i’ve felt in a while.
what grim commentary from a 20-year-old.
~ r.a
I try to pretend
it doesn't matter,
like garbage
the day after pick-up,
or feeding to the cat
the remains
of our 7,300th meal.
I try to pretend
it doesn't matter,
like foreign subtitles
on a silent movie,
or hearing only gibberish
when your lips say
goodbye.
he is a guest in another beings dream
a stranger sleeps behind his eyes
when he thinks about this
he shivers and turns to the window
letting himself be distracted by the dusty fields
the wind cranking farms
the bus is half-full
empty seats are occupied by the soon to be born
the soon to be dead and those in transition
hinterlands overlap and leak
a young man yet to be conceived
stares about him thinking he is in a movie
people speak a language known only to hollow trees
and wooden owls
there are no subtitles for his state of mind
passengers cling to the long straps of their thoughts
as the coach sways
some occupants are uncertain
if whether they have a real ticket for a real life
others think they may have purchased a ticket
with no destination
they fidget in their seats
wonder why the trip is taking so long
under spinning rubber
the ground sinks away
while an inverse sky
rises
The bus is half-full, empty seats are occupied
by the soon to be born, the soon to be dead,
those in transition.
The medium knows he is a guest in a stranger’s dream.
When he thinks about this, he shivers and turns
to the window, lets himself be distracted
by the dusty fields, the wind cranking farms.
A bespectacled matron moans
as the knit of her life slowly unravels.
Eighty years dead; white mice
have been born and have passed away in her head.
A travelling salesman yet to be conceived
stares about him, thinking he is in a movie.
People speak a language he does not understand -
there are no subtitles for his state of mind
however, his future occupation has already been seeded
within the mixology of an ancient starlight.
The medium wishes he were more accustomed
to the slow process of astral dissolution
and regeneration.
Passengers cling to the long straps of their minds
as the Greyhound sways.
Some occupants dream
that they have a real ticket for this life,
others may have purchased a ticket,
but not a destination;
they fidget in their seats,
and wonder why the trip is taking so long.
the marquee
read ***
Italian
movies
at any price
surely a
bargain
so i
paid and
paid the
price of
watching
thirty
romanesque
comedies
without
subtitles
i gave up
reading
after years
of intensive
university
had to read
readings
from Tagore
to Alban
so now
i watch
movies
some
campy
others
master
pieces
so recently
i found
a japanese
film from
way back
on a list
that i keep
in my
back
pocket
so i
pop
some
pop
corn
always
adding
parmesan
cheese and
i
sit
down
and start
to watch
not believing
all the actors
and actresses
are speaking in
japanese
so now
i have
to read
subtitles
sending me
back to university
where now i find
i have to read a movie
laying on
the cutting
room floor
scenes of
us laying
on the
cutting
room
floor
English
with
Spanish
subtitles
no
Spanish
with
English
subtitles
she was
on
top
it was always one cloud away
what do you do when everyway is the right way
what do you do when everyway is the wrong way
i used to know
now i don't know which way to go
I'm on a race only the slow wins
staring eyes and thighs marked with resting thunderstruck chins
between the wannabees and the hasbeens the joker's makeup cracks and grins
one has to be deeply shallow
, to miss beauty packing down south to the marrow
now it's time for spiritual eyeliners to masquerade the sorrow
my tomorrow promised me a smile to borrow
my piper subconsciously dropped his flute
life is a beautiful dantelle scenery to pollute
my wisdom , a pack of pearls ravishing the curves , the silhouette of her memory
a collage of lame loose endings unquenchable scenery forms our silver lining gallery
what a waste
what a waste
when you eat but can't taste
when a whole lifetime slowly slips in haste
a ladder and bench
how romantic the subtitles are in french
between the word and the noise
it all lies on the make up, it all lies on the illusionary poise
Tamer Hossam
A 3 Line Poem With Subtitles and An Explanation
Here is the subtitle part- “Love Hurts” (love it or leave it)
3 Line Poem
Love takes you higher than the sky to heaven
It drops you daintily onto a rainbow fun cloud
Slices you in two to die in the cesspool of truth
Explanation: The author is trying to tell you, the reader, (you know who you are), in oh so many words, that love has its good points and bad points. You know; ups and downs and stuff like that. He does not wish to delve too deeply into this matter because babies and children might be around and after all, it is simply and only a measly 3 line poem. He prays that you understand this fine point and that you are willing to use your own imaginations to draw your final conclusions on this controversial subject, which as always, is a wholesome, good old fashioned fun endeavor, good for the entire family and beyond. Also: This poem should not to be confused with a haiku, which has a 3 line structure and a 5-7-5 meter count or measure. Enjoy or destroy is our motto of the day.
I stood still to liberate all the senses
As I looked at the woman
Standing beside the grave
Emotions contorted with disbelief
Death does us part
Who knew you would be allowed to reveal
Experience and caress such beauty
To have it all drain away in a split second
Sometimes walking around this nest, we put together
Intwined with branches probing the resentment and lost dreams
The Wind blew, homeless treasures
Subtitles in a newspaper
Is that the sum of his life?
Whittled and abandoned muddied springs still run
Forged crevasses of doubt and despair
Slowly erode my memories of him
Good bye, my love.
Save me a seat in the front row.
Your in heaven now and God puts on a hell of a show.
There is no admission but leave your pain at the front door.
Just like Poe's raven who repeats "Nevermore."
Go ahead and put on those silly glasses it's all in 3-D.
Even though your vision's will be quite different than me.
In your movie, you will see your good and I guess your bad.
All the happiness and everything sad.
From the previews it shows your life from birth until death.
I'm told from your first cry until your last breath.
There will be no subtitles or audio to adjust.
The only words that appear is like on a coin stamped "In God we trust."
I don't remember it's in either scene one or scene two.
Out comes your family and friends that have passed before you.
Stop, end this movie you scream. I do not like this that person. I do not this show.
Patience, Patience the director replies. All is forgiven. That is why I put you in the front row.
Heaven gazes
while purgatory
awaits this.
a flood, a quake
the cylindrical
shake of salt
on watermelon
slices...
may I sample your
Nubian flavor?
Maybe have some
aphrodisiac on the side
while you voice
your opinions
about politics,
education reform
& the difference
between Messiahs
as it pertains to the four
major religions
tormented and blessed
at the same
I can feel the subtleties
of your subtitles
Trust me
I'm listening.
fed from your mumbled words
and have an overwhelming desire
to see your cup
running over
as you talk that
gibberish
Sub Categories
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