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poems widely adopted by a collective, group or nation...
AUDRE LORDE
Coal
I
Is the total black, being spoken
From the earth's inside.
There are many kinds of open.
How a diamond comes into a knot of flame
How a sound comes into a word, coloured
By who pays what for speaking.
Some words are open
Like a diamond on glass windows
Singing out within the crash of passing sun
Then there are words like stapled wagers
In a perforated book—buy and sign and tear apart—
And come whatever wills all chances
The stub remains
An ill-pulled tooth with a ragged edge.
Some words live in my throat
Breeding like adders. Others know sun
Seeking like gypsies over my tongue
To explode through my lips
Like young sparrows bursting from shell.
Some words
Bedevil me.
Love is a word another kind of open—
As a diamond comes into a knot of flame
I am black because I come from the earth's inside
Take my word for jewel in your open light._________
TPB's notes: her most famous poem. Adopted lesbian communities across North America.
_____________________
MAYA ANGELOU
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.___________
TPB's notes: Adopted by American women of Black or African heritage, and we believe many more to come.
_____________________
ABUL QASSIM AL-CHABBI
The People’s Will
1.
If one day people decide to live
Destiny will no doubt respond
Night will no doubt dissipate
Chains will no doubt break
This is what life told me
And this is what its spirits revealed to me
Those who are not infused by the passion of life
Will evaporate in the air and disappearPS: we prefer the translation above by a certain Majid Hannoum…but he/she only translated just the first stanza.
here now is the full poem -see transl. credit at end of poem:
ABUL QASSIM AL-CHABBI
The People’s Will
إذا الشّعْبُ يَوْمَاً أرَادَ الْحَيَـاةَ = فلا بُدَّ أنْ يَسْتَجِيبَ القَـدَر
وَلا بُـدَّ لِلَّيـْلِ أنْ يَنْجَلِــي = وَلا بُدَّ للقَيْدِ أَنْ يَـنْكَسِـر
When people choose a noble and worthy existence
The Fates will accordingly respond
Gloom of night will lift and vanish
Fetters will break open
وَمَنْ لَمْ يُعَانِقْهُ شَوْقُ الْحَيَـاةِ = تَبَخَّـرَ في حرّهَـا وَانْدَثَـر
فَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ لَمْ تَشُقْـهُ الْحَيَاةُ = مِنْ صَفْعَـةِ العَـدَم المُنْتَصِر
He who harbors no passion for life
Its heat dematerializes him, he is forgotten
Woe unto him who looses interest in life
Victorious void will deal him a slap
كَذلِكَ قَالَـتْ لِـيَ الكَائِنَاتُ = وَحَدّثَنـي رُوحُـهَا المُسْتَتِر
وَدَمدَمَتِ الرِّيحُ بَيْنَ الفِجَاجِ = وَفَوْقَ الجِبَال وَتَحْتَ الشَّجَر
Thus has the universe told me
Thus has its hidden Spirit intimated
The winds howled in the deep ravines
Above mountain peaks, under the trees
إذَا مَا طَمَحْـتُ إلِـى غَـايَةٍ = رَكِبْتُ الْمُنَى وَنَسِيتُ الحَذَر
وَلَمْ أَتَجَنَّبْ وُعُـورَ الشِّعَـابِ = وَلا كُبَّـةَ اللَّهَـبِ المُسْتَعِـر
When I aspire to lofty goals
I mount high hopes and discard trepidation
Neither avoiding rugged roads
Nor evading the roaring flames
وَمَنْ لا يُحِبّ صُعُودَ الجِبَـالِ = يَعِشْ أَبَدَ الدَّهْرِ بَيْنَ الحُفَـر
فَعَجَّتْ بِقَلْبِي دِمَاءُ الشَّبَـابِ = وَضَجَّتْ بِصَدْرِي رِيَاحٌ أُخَر
He who has an aversion to climbing mountains
Will pass his days and nights in ditches and holes
The blood of youth screamed in my heart
Strange winds raged and raved in my chest
وَأَطْرَقْتُ ، أُصْغِي لِقَصْفِ الرُّعُودِ = وَعَزْفِ الرِّيَاح وَوَقْعِ المَطَـر
وَقَالَتْ لِيَ الأَرْضُ - لَمَّا سَأَلْتُ : = " أَيَـا أُمُّ هَلْ تَكْرَهِينَ البَشَر؟"
Intently I listened to the thunder peel
And harkened to the sounds of wind and rainfall
I asked the Earth
“Mother, do you hate people?”, She replied
"أُبَارِكُ في النَّاسِ أَهْلَ الطُّمُوحِ = وَمَنْ يَسْتَلِـذُّ رُكُوبَ الخَطَـر
وأَلْعَنُ مَنْ لا يُمَاشِي الزَّمَـانَ = وَيَقْنَعُ بِالعَيْـشِ عَيْشِ الحَجَر
I bless ambitious and aspiring souls
Holding dear the ones who brave danger
But condemn those who live, stone-like, behind times
Content with a dull, callous existence
هُوَ الكَوْنُ حَيٌّ ، يُحِـبُّ الحَيَاةَ = وَيَحْتَقِرُ الْمَيْتَ مَهْمَا كَـبُر
فَلا الأُفْقُ يَحْضُنُ مَيْتَ الطُّيُورِ = وَلا النَّحْلُ يَلْثِمُ مَيْتَ الزَّهَــر
Behold! The universe is alive; it loves life
It despises the dead, great as it may seem
The skies hold no dead birds close to their bosom
Nor do bees sip nectar from lifeless flowers
وَلَـوْلا أُمُومَةُ قَلْبِي الرَّؤُوم = لَمَا ضَمَّتِ المَيْتَ تِلْكَ الحُفَـر
فَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ لَمْ تَشُقْـهُ الحَيَـاةُ = مِنْ لَعْنَةِ العَـدَمِ المُنْتَصِـر!"
If not for my soft motherly heart
Graves will loathe admitting corpses into their folds
So, woe unto him who looses interest in life
The curse of victorious void will be upon him
وفي لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ لَيَالِي الخَرِيفِ = مُثَقَّلَـةٍ بِالأََسَـى وَالضَّجَـر
سَكِرْتُ بِهَا مِنْ ضِياءِ النُّجُومِ = وَغَنَّيْتُ لِلْحُزْنِ حَتَّى سَكِـر
Once on an autumn night
Heavy with sorrow and boredom
I was intoxicated with the stars’ glittering light
And lulled sorrow into exhilaration
سَأَلْتُ الدُّجَى: هَلْ تُعِيدُ الْحَيَاةُ = لِمَا أَذْبَلَتْـهُ رَبِيعَ العُمُـر؟
فَلَمْ تَتَكَلَّمْ شِفَـاهُ الظَّلامِ = وَلَمْ تَتَرَنَّـمْ عَذَارَى السَّحَر
I asked the night: “Will Life ever bring back to wilted blossoms
The bloom and freshness of life?”
Neither the lips of darkness muttered
Nor the nymphs of dawn recited their lyrics
وَقَالَ لِيَ الْغَـابُ في رِقَّـةٍ = مُحَبَّبـَةٍ مِثْلَ خَفْـقِ الْوَتَـر
يَجِيءُ الشِّتَاءُ ، شِتَاءُ الضَّبَابِ = شِتَاءُ الثُّلُوجِ ، شِتَاءُ الْمَطَـر
The forest whispered gently to me
And spoke in melodious strains
Winter comes befogged with clouds
Bleak with rain, heavy with snow
فينطفئ السِّحْرُ ، سِحْرُ الغُصُونِ = وَسِحْرُ الزُّهُورِ وَسِحْرُ الثَّمَر
وَسِحْرُ الْمَسَاءِ الشَّجِيِّ الوَدِيعِ = وَسِحْرُ الْمُرُوجِ الشَّهِيّ العَطِر
The charm of tender twigs snuffed out
The beauty of flowers and fruit extinguished
The grace of meek and doleful eventides gone
The appeal of scented meadows no more
وَتَهْوِي الْغُصُونُ وَأَوْرَاقُـهَا = وَأَزْهَـارُ عَهْدٍ حَبِيبٍ نَضِـر
وَتَلْهُو بِهَا الرِّيحُ في كُلِّ وَادٍ = وَيَدْفنُـهَا السَّيْـلُ أنَّى عَـبَر
Branches wither and fall with their leaves
Blossoms of happy and love-filled life drop too
The winds scatter them in vale and valley
Rushing waters bury them on the way
وَيَفْنَى الجَمِيعُ كَحُلْمٍ بَدِيـعٍ = تَأَلَّـقَ في مُهْجَـةٍ وَانْدَثَـر
وَتَبْقَى البُـذُورُ التي حُمِّلَـتْ = ذَخِيـرَةَ عُمْرٍ جَمِـيلٍ غَـبَر
All lost to sight as a beautiful dream
Momentarily glowing, soon to disappear without a trace
Seeds bearing the essence of a beautiful faded life
Will yet survive
وَذِكْرَى فُصُول ٍ ، وَرُؤْيَا حَيَاةٍ = وَأَشْبَاح دُنْيَا تَلاشَتْ زُمَـر
مُعَانِقَـةً وَهْيَ تَحْـتَ الضَّبَابِ = وَتَحْتَ الثُّلُوجِ وَتَحْـتَ الْمَدَر
So will the memory of seasons and life’s visions
And earthly phantoms that vanished in droves
All from beneath the clouds
From beneath the soil and snow
لَطِيفَ الحَيَـاةِ الذي لا يُمَـلُّ = وَقَلْبَ الرَّبِيعِ الشَّذِيِّ الخَضِر
وَحَالِمَـةً بِأَغَـانِـي الطُّيُـورِ = وَعِطْرِ الزُّهُورِ وَطَعْمِ الثَّمَـر
Will revive and embrace the never boring breath of life
Clasping the green, fragrant heart of Spring
Dreaming of bird songs
Of aromas and savory fruit
وَمَا هُـوَ إِلاَّ كَخَفْـقِ الجَنَاحِ = حَتَّـى نَمَا شَوْقُـهَا وَانْتَصَـر
فصدّعت الأرض من فوقـها = وأبصرت الكون عذب الصور
Suddenly , in the soft beat of wings
Passion for life triumphantly returned
The earth above the seeds cracked open
And glorious images unexpectedly emerged
وجـاءَ الربيـعُ بأنغامـه = وأحلامـهِ وصِبـاهُ العطِـر
وقبلّـها قبـلاً في الشفـاه = تعيد الشباب الذي قد غبـر
Spring made a return with delightful songs
Celebrating its dreams, its balmy youthfulness
Lo, it pressed many kisses upon their lips
Bringing back to life a youth, long gone
وقالَ لَهَا : قد مُنحـتِ الحياةَ = وخُلّدتِ في نسلكِ الْمُدّخـر
وباركـكِ النـورُ فاستقبـلي = شبابَ الحياةِ وخصبَ العُمر
It addressed the seeds, murmuring: I have given you life
And shall live in your posterity forevermore
You have been blessed by the light, so receive
The youth of life, the maturity of age
ومن تعبـدُ النـورَ أحلامـهُ = يباركهُ النـورُ أنّـى ظَهر
إليك الفضاء ، إليك الضيـاء = إليك الثرى الحالِمِ الْمُزْدَهِر
He whose dreams adore the Light
The Light, in turn, will bless him when it shines
Lo, the entire space is yours, and yours is the Light
The dreaming, flower-glittering soil is yours as well
إليك الجمال الذي لا يبيـد = إليك الوجود الرحيب النضر
فميدي كما شئتِ فوق الحقول = بِحلو الثمار وغـض الزهـر
Receive the deathless beauty
Receive the vast shimmering universe
Sway as you please in the meadows
Laden with your sweet fruits and tender flowers
وناجي النسيم وناجي الغيـوم = وناجي النجوم وناجي القمـر
وناجـي الحيـاة وأشواقـها = وفتنـة هذا الوجـود الأغـر
Whisper your gentle love to the breeze and clouds
Hum soulful tunes to the stars and moon
Talk to life with the language of your heart
And commune with the captivating beauty of a unique existence
وشف الدجى عن جمال عميقٍ = يشب الخيـال ويذكي الفكر
ومُدَّ عَلَى الْكَوْنِ سِحْرٌ غَرِيبٌ = يُصَـرِّفُهُ سَـاحِـرٌ مُقْـتَدِر
Darkness, too, revealed a hidden charm
Stirring the imagination, inspiring thoughts
A strange mystic harmony engulfed the universe
Skillfully manipulating it as an ingenious magician
وَضَاءَتْ شُمُوعُ النُّجُومِ الوِضَاء = وَضَاعَ البَخُورُ ، بَخُورُ الزَّهَر
وَرَفْرَفَ رُوحٌ غَرِيبُ الجَمَالِ = بِأَجْنِحَـةٍ مِنْ ضِيَاءِ الْقَمَـر
Candles of glittering stars were lit all
The sweet perfume of flowers wafted about
A spirit of strange beauty fluttered by
With wings made of moonbeams bright
وَرَنَّ نَشِيدُ الْحَيَاةِ الْمُقَـدَّسِ = في هَيْكَـلٍ حَالِمٍ قَدْ سُـحِر
وَأَعْلَنَ في الْكَوْنِ أَنَّ الطُّمُوحَ = لَهِيبُ الْحَيَـاةِ وَرُوحُ الظَّفَـر
إِذَا طَمَحَتْ لِلْحَيَاةِ النُّفُوسُ = َلا بُدَّ أَنْ يَسْتَجِيبَ الْقَـدَرْ
The sacred song of life rang out
Within a dreaming, charmed temple
Announcing this truth to the whole universe
Aspiration is the fuel and flame of life
The spirit and stamina of victory
Yea, when souls aspire
For a worthy and noble existence
The Fates will accordingly respond
___________
TPB's notes: Translated by: Mahmoud Abbas Masoud. Adopted by the arab spring.
Thank You so much!
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