M. Darwish: ‘Palestinian national poet’.

Riceviamo da Enrique Ferro e pubblichiamo.

His voice enlightened all of us, it didn’t die, it is taking a rest, only to endless inspire the coming generations in their quest…

Palestinian ‘national poet’ dies

Darwish won many international prizes for his work

Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish has died after surgery at the age of 67, hospital and Palestinian officials say.

He suffered complications after undergoing open-heart surgery in Houston, Texas, said a spokesman for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Mr Darwish was the most recognised Palestinian poet in the world, using his words to try to draw attention to the Palestinian cause.

He also delivered harsh criticism of the infighting by Palestinian factions.

Even though he became iconic he never lost his sense of humanity – we have lost part of our essence
Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi

During a reading in 2007, Mr Darwish denounced the violence in Gaza between Hamas and Fatah, describing it as "a public attempt at suicide in the streets".

He said that the two warring factions had made the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state far more unlikely.

Poet of conscience

Mr Darwish is famous throughout the Middle East and is regarded as the Palestinian national poet.

He is said to have given voice to the Palestinian dreams of statehood, crafted their 1988 declaration of independence and helped to forge a Palestinian national identity.

"He started out as a poet of resistance and then he became a poet of conscience," said Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi, quoted by AP news agency.

"He embodied the best in Palestinians… even though he became iconic he never lost his sense of humanity. We have lost part of our essence, the essence of the Palestinian being."

His poetry has been translated into more than 20 languages, and he has won many international prizes for his work.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7551918.stm

Thanks to Annie for her poem …. 

Saturday, August 09, 2008

A True Story, in honor of Palestine’s beloved poet Mahmoud Darwish, may he rest in peace….

"this land is the skin on my bones

And my heart flies…"


Fragment of a quote from Mahmoud Darwish, seen on the Al-Awda story board in a park in Southern California a few years ago, at a rally to help educate America.   Http://www.al-awdasandiego.org/m18/pages/m18-19.HTML


A poem in honor of Mahmoud Darwish, the renowned Palestinian poet, author of many well known poems, born 67 years ago in the village of Barweh in Galilee, Palestine, a village that was razed during the establishment of Israel in 1948. Darwish died today 8-9-8. At the time I was out food shopping…

          "And my heart flies…"

In the crowded American grocery store
A small dark old woman stopped
To stare wide eyed
At my simple necklace, specifically
At the small, delicately made gold charm
Dangling, resting near my heart.

Its an Olive Tree whose roots
Become a filigree that spells in Arabic
Palestine

"It says peace in Arabic" I will say
To strangers who might inquire,
But the small dark woman
Said nothing- stared
And as she stared transfixed
I could see her secret smile grow
Until it tingled in her toes
And she stood straighter
Glowing

Words would only ruin
Such a conversation
Such a perfect exchange
I blinked yes
As they do in the Arab world
Blinked yes and moved on
Smiling too.

Copyrights: poem by Anne Selden Annab