I think Ramsey Nasr’s poem (below) speaks to the ongoing Bab Al Shams project. But in Elias Khoury’s letter to the village’s founders, the Lebanese novelist — author of Bab Al Shams (Gate of the Sun) — referenced a poem by Mahmoud Darwish, “We have on this earth what makes life worth living”:
I found a number of translations of this poem online. Below are two rather different versions by translators of Unfortunately, It Was Paradise (perhaps modified slightly by Darryl Li in the reading) and Karim Abuawad; at bottom is the original.
The translation from Unfortunately (via Li) is transcribed from a video, so I’m not sure how it should be laid out on the page.
We have on this earth what makes life worth living
the aroma of bread at dawn
a woman’s opinion of men
the works of Aeschylus
the beginnings of love
grass on a stone
mothers who live on a flute’s sigh
and the invaders’ fear of memories
we have on this earth what makes life worth living
the waning days of dawn
a woman leaving forty in full blossom
the hour of sunlight in prison
a cloud resembling a pack of creatures
the applause of a people for those who face their end with a smile
and the tyrants’ fear of songs
we have on this earth what makes life worth living
on this earth, the lady of earth
the mother of all beginnings
the mother of all endings
she was called Palestine
she came to be called Palestine
o lady, beause you are my lady
I am worthy of life
Karim Abuawad’s translation:
On this earth what makes life worth living:
the hesitance of April
the scent of bread at dawn
an amulet made by a woman for men
Aeschylus’s works
the beginnings of love
moss on a stone
the mothers standing on the thinness of a flute
and the fear of invaders of memories.
On this earth what makes life worth living:
September’s end
a lady moving beyond her fortieth year without losing any of her grace
a sun clock in a prison
clouds imitating a flock of creatures
chants of a crowd for those meeting their end smiling
and the fear of tyrants of the songs.
On this earth what makes life worth living:
on this earth stands the mistress of the earth
mother of beginnings
mother of endings
it used to be known as Palestine
it became known as Palestine
my mistress:
I deserve, because you’re my mistress
I deserve life.
From Darwish:
على هذه الأرض ما يستحق الحياة: تردد إبريل، رائحة الخبزِ
في الفجر، آراء امرأة في الرجال، كتابات أسخيليوس ، أول
الحب، عشب على حجرٍ، أمهاتٌ تقفن على خيط ناي، وخوف
الغزاة من الذكرياتْ.
على هذه الأرض ما يستحق الحياةْ: نهايةُ أيلولَ، سيّدةٌ تترُكُ
الأربعين بكامل مشمشها، ساعة الشمس في السجن، غيمٌ يُقلّدُ
سِرباً من الكائنات، هتافاتُ شعب لمن يصعدون إلى حتفهم
باسمين، وخوفُ الطغاة من الأغنياتْ.
على هذه الأرض ما يستحقّ الحياةْ: على هذه الأرض سيدةُ
الأرض، أم البدايات أم النهايات. كانت تسمى فلسطين. صارتْ
تسمى فلسطين. سيدتي: أستحق، لأنك سيدتي، أستحق الحياة
I wonder if it is possible to publish my translation of this poem?
Emailed you!