Saturday 9 August 2008

Summer Camp in Dorset (Recitative)

Poem read in silence at Dorset Summer Camp whilst outside my tent the sky is weeping, the grass is laughing and the diminutive wild life in the undergrowth continues to wage war and broker peace with itself.


With the drinking glass studded with lapis
Wait for her,
By the pool around the evening and the rose perfume
Wait for her,
With the patience of the horse prepared for mountain descent
Wait for her,
With the manners of the refined and marvellous prince
Wait for her,
With seven pillows stuffed with light clouds
Wait for her,
With the sandalwood male scent around the backs of horses
Wait for her,
And don’t hurry, so if she arrives late
Wait for her,
And if she arrives early
Wait for her,
And don’t startle the birds in her braids
And wait for her,
So that she sits comfortably in her beauty’s summit in the garden
And wait for her,
So she may breathe this strange air upon her heart
And wait for her,
So that she lifts her dress off her calf cloud by cloud
And wait for her,
Take her to a balcony to see a moon frowning in milk
And wait for her,
Offer her water, before wine, and don’t
Look at twin partridges sleeping on her chest
And wait for her,
Slowly touch her hand
When she places the glass on the marble
As if you were carrying dew for her
And wait for her,
Talk to her as a flute talks
To a frightened violin string
As if you two were witnesses to what tomorrow prepares for you
And wait for her
Brighten her night ring by ring
And wait for her
Until the night says to you:

You are the only two left in the universe
So take her, gently, to your desired death
And wait for her! …

A Lesson from Kama Sutra

Mahmoud Darwish
Taken from ‘The Stranger’s Bed’ (1998)


Copyright 2008

10 comments:

  1. This is beautiful.

    The sky is gorgeous and the tree looks like it is from an enchanted forest!

    Welcome back!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Because the world is round it turns me on
    Because the world is round...

    Because the wind is high it blows my mind
    Because the wind is high......

    Love is all, love is new
    Love is all, love is you

    Because the sky is blue, it makes me cry
    Because the sky is blue

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah - Dorset looks like "home"! ...but I very rarely read poems in silence as I rest my eyes on the nature around me ;-) Next time I read some poetry I'll leave my rocking chair and go and lay down in the hammock instead...

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  4. Hi, everyone, thanks for your lovely messages.

    The tree is spoky. The light had changed to an auburn hue whilst the dim sunrays filtered through the trees and I was this particular tree and could not help taking a photo of it. It looks like a couple with the woman clinging onto the man.

    Generacion Asere, me tocaste, bro. Back in 1990 and up until the end of 1991 there was a time when I could not play that tune lest my eyes filled up with tears. There's a very sad story behind it and deeply personal, too.

    Sara, I agree with you totally, nature is to be observed, enjoyed and digested. However, I do make exceptions and maestro Darwish, who sadly died last Saturday, is one.

    Greetings from London.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah...that was lovely.

    The photo, the poem, the tree

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks, diva. It was magical indeed.

    Greetings from London.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful poem. I will have to share that with someone.

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks, tangobaby. He was best known(we have to use the past tense now as he died sadly a few days ago) for his inspiring and rousing pro-Palestinian and Arab poems but his love poems are just as remarkable.

    Greetings from London.

    ReplyDelete

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