tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33990714350826792842024-02-21T01:10:39.632+11:00Evas ArtEvas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-27057235007651690022013-05-03T19:38:00.001+10:002013-05-03T19:38:28.806+10:00Mask of my AUTUMN LADY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Mbkl2KPhI8vQU7yf2qtJDICn8U3C6n4USUd08N8C3zyYAxyo_VgA3QY2Gho9zB10seBo9geDbTKaWBOaoJlXF9XvEi7wAByi9AE4GncuafX_wL5ljmWrTozPmsKNH4Diw9_YKfH5gRE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Mbkl2KPhI8vQU7yf2qtJDICn8U3C6n4USUd08N8C3zyYAxyo_VgA3QY2Gho9zB10seBo9geDbTKaWBOaoJlXF9XvEi7wAByi9AE4GncuafX_wL5ljmWrTozPmsKNH4Diw9_YKfH5gRE/s640/photo.JPG" width="476" /></a><br />
Today I made this mask for my mask workshop in Art Therapy</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-13039268998995638172013-04-05T20:26:00.000+11:002013-04-05T20:26:02.968+11:00Medicine Doll<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUFST-6WAxbxxil3FkL8VMhXpj7s-xX8WYeQlJb3HGz93agwyBfYvICUZxo4jUcu-stWBJ6k1UUlDrMrRcBjnUF513rCuthtMR0VyiWcPVN9USqLGg6YDKsiq8Yqp_QFnRJ_QdY-Biwc/s1600/DOLL2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUFST-6WAxbxxil3FkL8VMhXpj7s-xX8WYeQlJb3HGz93agwyBfYvICUZxo4jUcu-stWBJ6k1UUlDrMrRcBjnUF513rCuthtMR0VyiWcPVN9USqLGg6YDKsiq8Yqp_QFnRJ_QdY-Biwc/s640/DOLL2.jpg" width="468" /></a><br />
<br />
A gypsy medicine doll that i designed to be used in a women's healing ritual at the end of May.</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-12974641410299091842013-01-12T11:34:00.001+11:002013-01-13T12:35:46.543+11:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Lena answers her phone with the air of someone who is tired and forlorn. She speaks with a knowing that what I am saying is heard but really of no consequence to her. I ask her what is the matter and she answers in a monotone voice that she is feeling great sadness for her country Syria and worried about her brother and friends who are doing their compulsory army service.<br />
Her mother is finding great difficulty affording the basics of food. The townsfolk cannot travel outside of their village for fear of being ambushed and killed. Her children's stepmother has become her friend and her household is provided for.<br />
A village has been attacked and relatives killed.<br />
Sorrow and heartache fills the air and only broken by the laughter of innocent children delighting in their simple pleasures.<br />
Lena writes diligently on her face book about the atrocities occurring daily in her beloved country. Her words are read by many heartbroken Syrians living in different countries and together they grieve.<br />
When will it end ? She prays daily for her family and country.<br />
Meanwhile she turns on the TV and listens to the world news on her local channel. She hears reports than conflict with the news from her homeland on her satellite TV.<br />
She spends her days tirelessly typing and gathering information. Her girls miss their mother. Her mind is far away and she tires easily. The stress is taking its toll. I ask her out for coffee and she walks metres in front of me, unaware of our friendship. She is alone in her thoughts and has little to offer.<br />
Dear Lina, my heart aches for your unhappiness because it is a sorrow carried by many during this time of war.<br />
She cannot let this heaviness overwhelm her as her children look with longing for a mother who has left them and they wait for her return. </div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-37514603246520487562013-01-11T19:17:00.001+11:002013-01-11T19:17:48.306+11:00MOVING ART GALLERY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQEFE5ELKwvH4Le9OqINZ126GyDTDkX4ytvP6jOCYtOmkvXu5oN4WqycyuBAv8mXgECYf5GX4PoGIcmWgxxmRwoD7gHmRqylaLnxHT-cczEGEm78h4OjtYyi2nGV4h7CjjflTXYAtaGY/s1600-h/evas%252520portrait%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="evas portrait" border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEm3QxpPQXCQ6zW2QFuZDEHHd5y_o96p3X-Xnne8AoT1QX4fFXPDJj-RNj6scJV0KMRU-hYvv9hSI9IhMINNVZl6STRQ-Wj0pdaku6Cn1AtsnT6fFSwYEmykNtZkvW9aNpMwhB4Dg6PA/?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline;" title="evas portrait" width="497" /></a><br />
<br />
I was fortunate to have my self portrait accepted and placed<br />
in an art book called Me Myself and I. The artworks were then<br />
featured on the local bus travelling around the suburbs of Sydney.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW4-HL28jktwZCllhcyi4CRaIfKr8jQ3BddAdYbAvSY97vrpGdWnQeyV2HigGqML7d0V6GKrfCZDfXoT2mLiagyuBOdb9K4f-C2ZXpuuSlVEX7usm8WM6spM90VvPXT7i4Ue5ft00cbU/s1600-h/evas%252520portrait%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="evas portrait" border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsVtuUkcfZOLhw2WRcMMasHR8tEO5CgLsRgRMTPiNKzPAsLvD49PW1XZMpwT3zDNkYsepZ8fYK2UMk3OXW5KqvxLZLiP-ygw1rHiuY1tVBGp9korKeFfzlB2WDjma6mk1yWXKOJwBsyQ/?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline;" title="evas portrait" width="364" /></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-68118112299817099082013-01-11T19:01:00.000+11:002013-01-11T19:01:08.454+11:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yRhq-yO1KN8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-10980803005154635392013-01-11T19:00:00.000+11:002013-01-11T19:00:09.285+11:00IMAGINE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Imagine there's no heaven</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">It's easy if you try</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">No hell below us</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Above us only sky</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Imagine all the people</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Living for today</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Aha-ahh</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Imagine there's no countries</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">It isn't hard to do</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Nothing to kill or die for</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">And no religion too</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Imagine all the people</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Living life in peace</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Yoohoo-ooh</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">You may say I'm a dreamer</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">But I'm not the only one</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I hope someday you'll join us</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">And the world will be as one</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Imagine no possessions</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I wonder if you can</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">No need for greed or hunger</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">A brotherhood of man</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Imagine all the people</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Sharing all the world</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Yoohoo-ooh</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">You may say I'm a dreamer</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">But I'm not the only one</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I hope someday you'll join us</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">And the world will live as one</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;"><b><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">John Lennon</span></span></b></span><br />
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-56506737801780221462013-01-11T16:55:00.001+11:002013-01-12T11:37:15.112+11:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">It is with a heavy heart that I write to give my condolences to the families of the men women and children who have been killed during the war in Syria.</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">In particular to the relatives of my children and their step mother who lost their lives.</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">Where is the peaceful country that my children grew up in ?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">Why do they spend countless hours praying for the safety of their beloved grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">Will they ever return?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">How can they help?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">Why are the minds and hearts of many so narrow and closed?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">Is there reliable information about Syrian affairs?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">Can we make informed decisions?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">When one person in this world dies senselessly does it not affect another?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-72851441562658173962012-10-18T10:13:00.000+11:002012-10-18T10:13:24.001+11:00DAMASCUS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">1</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">My voice rings out, this time, from Damascus</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">It rings out from the house of my mother and father</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">In Sham. The geography of my body changes.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The cells of my blood become green.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">My alphabet is green.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">In Sham. A new mouth emerges for my mouth</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">A new voice emerges for my voice</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And my fingers</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Become a tribe</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">2</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I return to Damascus</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Riding on the backs of clouds</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Riding the two most beautiful horses in the world</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The horse of passion.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The horse of poetry.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I return after sixty years</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">To search for my umbilical cord,</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">For the Damascene barber who circumcised me,</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">For the midwife who tossed me in the basin under the bed</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And received a gold lira from my father,</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">She left our house</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">On that day in March of 1923</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Her hands stained with the blood of the poem…</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">3</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I return to the womb in which I was formed . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">To the first book I read in it . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">To the first woman who taught me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The geography of love . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the geography of women . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">4</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I return</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">After my limbs have been strewn across all the continents</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And my cough has been scattered in all the hotels</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">After my mother’s sheets scented with laurel soap</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I have found no other bed to sleep on . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And after the “bride” of oil and thyme</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That she would roll up for me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">No longer does any other "bride" in the world please me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And after the quince jam she would make with her own hands</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I am no longer enthusiastic about breakfast in the morning</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And after the blackberry drink that she would make</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">No other wine intoxicates me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">5</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I enter the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And greet everyone in it</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Corner to . . . corner</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Tile to . . . tile</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Dove to . . . dove</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I wander in the gardens of Kufi script</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And pluck beautiful flowers of God’s words</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And hear with my eye the voice of the mosaics</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the music of agate prayer beads</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">A state of revelation and rapture overtakes me,</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">So I climb the steps of the first minaret that encounters me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Calling:</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">“Come to the jasmine”</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">“Come to the jasmine”</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">6</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Returning to you</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Stained by the rains of my longing</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Returning to fill my pockets</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">With nuts, green plums, and green almonds</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Returning to my oyster shell</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Returning to my birth bed</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">For the fountains of Versailles</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Are no compensation for the Fountain Café</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And Les Halles in Paris</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Is no compensation for the Friday market</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And Buckingham Palace in London</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Is no compensation for Azem Palace</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the pigeons of San Marco in Venice</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Are no more blessed than the doves in the Umayyad Mosque</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And Napoleon’s tomb in Les Invalides</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Is no more glorious than the tomb of Salah al-Din Al-Ayyubi…</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">7</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I wander in the narrow alleys of Damascus.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Behind the windows, honeyed eyes awake</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And greet me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The stars wear their gold bracelets</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And greet me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the pigeons alight from their towers</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And greet me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the clean Shami cats come out</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Who were born with us . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Grew up with us . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And married with us . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">To greet me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">8</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I immerse myself in the Buzurriya Souq</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Set a sail in a cloud of spices</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Clouds of cloves</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And cinnamon . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And camomile . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I perform ablutions in rose water once.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And in the water of passion many times . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And I forget—while in the Souq al-‘Attarine—</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">All the concoctions of Nina Ricci . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And Coco Chanel . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">What are you doing to me Damascus?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">How have you changed my culture? My aesthetic taste?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">For I have been made to forget the ringing of cups of licorice</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The piano concerto of Rachmaninoff . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">How do the gardens of Sham transform me?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">For I have become the first conductor in the world</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That leads an orchestra from a willow tree!!</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">9</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I have come to you . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">From the history of the Damascene rose</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That condenses the history of perfume . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">From the memory of al-Mutanabbi</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That condenses the history of poetry . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I have come to you . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">From the blossoms of bitter orange . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the dahlia . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the narcissus . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the "nice boy" . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That first taught me drawing . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I have come to you . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">From the laughter of Shami women</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That first taught me music . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the beginning of adolesence</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">From the spouts of our alley</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That first taught me crying</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And from my mother’s prayer rug</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That first taught me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The path to God . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">10</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I open the drawers of memory</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">One . . . then another</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I remember my father . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Coming out of his workshop on Mu’awiya Alley</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I remember the horse-drawn carts . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the sellers of prickly pears . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the cafés of al-Rubwa</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That nearly—after five flasks of ‘araq—</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Fall into the river</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I remember the colored towels</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">As they dance on the door of Hammam al-Khayyatin</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">As if they were celebrating their national holiday.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I remember the Damascene houses</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">With their copper doorknobs</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And their ceilings decorated with glazed tiles</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And their interior courtyards</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That remind you of descriptions of heaven . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">11</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The Damascene House</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Is beyond the architectural text</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The design of our homes . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Is based on an emotional foundation</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">For every house leans . . . on the hip of another</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And every balcony . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Extends its hand to another facing it</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Damascene houses are loving houses . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">They greet one another in the morning . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And exchange visits . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Secretly—at night . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">12</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">When I was a diplomat in Britain</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Thirty years ago</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">My mother would send letters at the beginning of Spring</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Inside each letter . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">A bundle of tarragon . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And when the English suspected my letters</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">They took them to the laboratory</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And turned them over to Scotland Yard</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And explosives experts.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And when they grew weary of me . . . and my tarragon</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">They would ask: Tell us, by god . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">What is the name of this magical herb that has made us dizzy?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Is it a talisman?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Medicine?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">A secret code?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">What is it called in English?</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I said to them: It’s difficult for me to explain…</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">For tarragon is a language that only the gardens of Sham speak</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">It is our sacred herb . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Our perfumed eloquence</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And if your great poet Shakespeare had known of tarragon</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">His plays would have been better . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">In brief . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">My mother is a wonderful woman . . . she loves me greatly . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And whenever she missed me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">She would send me a bunch of tarragon . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Because for her, tarragon is the emotional equivalent</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">To the words: my darling . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And when the English didn’t understand one word of my poetic argument . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">They gave me back my tarragon and closed the investigation . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">13</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">From Khan Asad Basha</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Abu Khalil al-Qabbani emerges . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">In his damask robe . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And his brocaded turban . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And his eyes haunted with questions . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Like Hamlet’s</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">He attempts to present an avant-garde play</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">But they demand Karagoz’s tent . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">He tries to present a text from Shakespeare</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">They ask him about the news of al-Zir . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">He tries to find a single female voice</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">To sing with him . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">“Oh That of Sham”</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">They load up their Ottoman rifles,</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And fire into every rose tree</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That sings professionally . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">He tries to find a single woman</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">To repeat after him:</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">“Oh bird of birds, oh dove”</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">They unsheathe their knives</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And slaughter all the descendents of doves . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And all the descendents of women . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">After a hundred years . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Damascus apologized to Abu Khalil al-Qabbani</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And they erected a magnificent theater in his name.</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">14</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I put on the jubbah of Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-Arabi</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I descend from the peak of Mt. Qassiun</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Carrying for the children of the city . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Peaches</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Pomegranates</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And sesame halawa . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And for its women . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Necklaces of turquoise . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And poems of love . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I enter . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">A long tunnel of sparrows</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Gillyflowers . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Hibiscus . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Clustered jasmine . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And I enter the questions of perfume . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And my schoolbag is lost from me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the copper lunch case . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">In which I used to carry my food . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And the blue beads</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">That my mother used to hang on my chest</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">So People of Sham</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">He among you who finds me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">let him return me to Umm Mu’ataz</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">And God’s reward will be his</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I am your green sparrow . . . People of Sham</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">So he among you who finds me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">let him feed me a grain of wheat . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I am your Damascene rose . . . People of Sham</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">So he among you who finds me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">let him place me in the first vase . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I am your mad poet . . . People of Sham</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">So he among you who sees me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">let him take a souvenir photograph of me</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Before I recover from my enchanting insanity . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">I am your fugitive moon . . . People of Sham</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">So he among you who sees me . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Let him donate to me a bed . . . and a wool blanket . . .</span><br style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Because I haven’t slept for centuries</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f2f2f0; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">by Nizar Qabbani</span><br />
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-73194834696360195672012-10-13T15:24:00.002+11:002012-10-13T15:24:59.673+11:00I am the INSTRUMENT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
During my teaching days at a school in a disadvantaged area of Sydney NSW Australia, I was asked by a music therapist if I could draw instruments that incorporated the body of children and thus they were able to become ONE, hence titled ‘I am the Instrument.’<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9o5pw0VjNAjfnraXtkK6QIifLoFTTMKsOBvzWyCSlcayPyCrpQ5wNBUrxPSumSMlLIPwc4gwXcqYB8syFJnWX7ssFJWGWY6XSD14HYCbd_Db1iCpYfk6cVyblqfdqLUmORWuxBcpdfA/s1600-h/035%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="035" border="0" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhIhg1ra-PjUqQK8uVgUfveRAVjXTOcOzc8HzJ0HvbuSCeWiYTfQGWUEQjhgzNElk-dekxd5TySD7cI1aqdNcinmWscoyqjZUBgPOEcO2e5J3Lg11npZ3jutLgoE-4v7eVippXf8p-I0/?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="035" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXdYDhWqGderPDvpQ8Q7sNzgkDvmnmINwWSoBJznHqdyL1fgHGSQG2GKfPj2_TCPXaahIAnYUSXH2gg-WR4HzwIinEH_SS5POCk8jz5aFfr4dOrhhd0AWV8q0qrwAwGPTDj1M38Sd1As/s1600-h/034%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Digital Camera" border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQp0bzBikA4lNVL6REeu6tvaqoOPymqAuguH9nwWamyiRQgP45683J_DgQdJCWtgXPqipHh50ZLOK0hokGg4W6xePAaDf6rgHHNNz6boKba3ytKPj6glSdZIuhae5o8GS9TCkFCowibxk/?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Digital Camera" width="370" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbU5rVqfmZ1aCQ_XB8KH-PXEqbH62Gh1kownqqk1lzDiX6XflqoxqGpWn-NWMw_InLpNnlo5FyJZrzHUinIpfpZNlVdjvX_rPSPGBVlghvy166E0er23q_4Q89UGu-eCZ227cxI-XuTA/s1600-h/036%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="036" border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWPaQ5IK3RLDTXU9m1OGtgdMhPh4EgF1yG6Oz1zCYQpxroO2Plr5DsCJDaJSkdFO7Wh_MGSo3dpuo4KcoWXaG6cjNAhNO6xcwoCrs32TP7CVlws1u7DpVG4WcyzNmfthFqtofe8kwcN4/?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="036" width="372" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ke0Z9a2Ljll9XQ76qKTN2vfryVouoIOWyf5V8H5Ktd7BAWsFBzMzuRKRByF-G36inU-619aYhRHzEsu_k-40fmh86FPt_UWfaBHPe21i1ZGbR-UBygdL_ir20zOSV692_K2lQNkNd1c/s1600-h/037%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="037" border="0" height="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjYtRFYDVRMzi98R11jOKkj8BD3Y_vp0LfcNPnesIMPbMn9aG1sbafOqc87_CEazgGKFQgLM-JBOJQXCB7vUS1MEaws8SY0t9CTO7DNv1L4UWtfS0naoc267SHbsbvOwUbphgctNmF3E/?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="037" width="350" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaarPzf3vMk4m4auKCIVFBJ0Rwg1-3ZhP9BkhDAvVh7vj-9ZLShySgwf849-PMtc9-MmOnEAeMiYM9syhSYP5T0bycaegNQVrHCpSPIOp8akBDfJGFi2o-A0eWzYFvGThGRVei9lDI7rs/s1600-h/038%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="038" border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMDKCdweY3vXgpM57J4NToGbuIP_oL42HjKgzCi20wFv2ao7cUH7BpRBvUbZNVyQmlCm66IEgRQg4s8iVZUAEycGZQst8Fhhio3bpO4N8Ir3vMzzvs4KgiCg9on03ztwQSmBMNSfpl9o/?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="038" width="361" /></a><br />
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-5495251142390845952012-10-03T16:41:00.001+10:002012-10-03T16:41:45.160+10:00A LESSON IN DRAWING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="KonaBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">
<div style="font-size: 1.167em; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-top: 12px;">
My son places his paint box in front of me<br />and asks me to draw a bird for him.<br />Into the color gray I dip the brush<br />and draw a square with locks and bars.<br />Astonishment fills his eyes:<br />'… But this is a prison, Father,<br />Don't you know, how to draw a bird?'<br />And I tell him: 'Son, forgive me.<br />I've forgotten the shapes of birds.'<br /><br />My son puts the drawing book in front of me<br />and asks me to draw a wheatstalk.<br />I hold the pen<br />and draw a gun.<br />My son mocks my ignorance,<br />demanding,<br />'Don't you know, Father, the difference between a<br />wheatstalk and a gun?'<br />I tell him, 'Son,<br />once I used to know the shapes of wheatstalks<br />the shape of the loaf<br />the shape of the rose<br />But in this hardened time<br />the trees of the forest have joined<br />the militia men<br />and the rose wears dull fatigues<br />In this time of armed wheatstalks<br />armed birds<br />armed culture<br />and armed religion<br />you can't buy a loaf<br />without finding a gun inside<br />you can't pluck a rose in the field<br />without its raising its thorns in your face<br />you can't buy a book<br />that doesn't explode between your fingers.'<br /><br />My son sits at the edge of my bed<br />and asks me to recite a poem,<br />A tear falls from my eyes onto the pillow.<br />My son licks it up, astonished, saying:<br />'But this is a tear, father, not a poem!'<br />And I tell him:<br />'When you grow up, my son,<br />and read the diwan of Arabic poetry<br />you'll discover that the word and the tear are twins<br />and the Arabic poem<br />is no more than a tear wept by writing fingers.'<br /><br />My son lays down his pens, his crayon box in<br />front of me<br />and asks me to draw a homeland for him.<br />The brush trembles in my hands<br />and I sink, weeping. </div>
</div>
<div class="poet" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.417em; margin: 22px 0px 25px;">
Nizar Qabbani</div>
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-8479400156689493662012-10-03T16:23:00.001+10:002012-10-03T16:31:00.017+10:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<img alt="Mother Teresa" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1263888735p5/838305.jpg" /><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“People are often unreasonable and self-centred. Forgive them anyway.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/838305.Mother_Teresa" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Mother Teresa</a><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/838305.Mother_Teresa" style="color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Mother Teresa</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“In the West we have a tendency to be profit-oriented, where everything is measured according to the results and we get caught up in being more and more active to generate results. In the East -- especially in India -- I find that people are more content to just be, to just sit around under a banyan tree for half a day chatting to each other. We Westerners would probably call that wasting time. But there is value to it. Being with someone, listening with out a clock and without anticipation of results, teaches us about love. The success of love is in the loving -- it is not in the result of loving. ” </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/838305.Mother_Teresa" style="color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Mother Teresa</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“There should be less talk; a preaching point is not a meeting point. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">What do you do then? Take a broom and clean someone's house. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">That says enough.” </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/838305.Mother_Teresa" style="color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Mother Teresa</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Life is a game, play it.” </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/838305.Mother_Teresa" style="color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Mother Teresa</a></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-87044192479821164972012-10-03T16:09:00.003+10:002012-10-03T16:20:10.279+10:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<a class="leftAlignedImage" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36913.Rabindranath_Tagore" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-right: 10px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Rabindranath Tagore" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1226380712p2/36913.jpg" style="border: 0px;" width="151" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"></span><br />
<h1 style="color: #382110; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 2px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36913.Rabindranath_Tagore" style="color: #666600; font-size: 14px;">Rabindranath Tagore</a></span></h1>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds, and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live. ”</span><br />
<div class="quoteText" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 5px 10px 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36913.Rabindranath_Tagore" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Rabindranath Tagore</a></span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="color: #382110; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 2px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. </span></h1>
<h1 style="color: #382110; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 2px;">
<br /></h1>
<div class="quoteDetails " style="float: left; margin-right: 12px; width: 518px;">
<div class="quoteText" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a class="leftAlignedImage" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4467789.Mahatma_Gandhi" style="color: #666600; display: inline !important; font-size: 20px; margin-right: 10px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Mahatma Gandhi" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1303458099p2/4467789.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="151" /></a></div>
<div class="quoteText" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="quoteText" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4467789.Mahatma_Gandhi" style="background-color: white; color: #666600;">Mahatma
Gandhi</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">“Seven Deadly Sins<br /><br />Wealth
without work<br />Pleasure without conscience<br />Science without
humanity<br />Knowledge without character<br />Politics without
principle<br />Commerce without morality<br />Worship without sacrifice.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4467789.Mahatma_Gandhi" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Mahatma
Gandhi</a></span></div>
<div class="quoteText" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="quoteText" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a class="leftAlignedImage" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9810.Albert_Einstein" style="color: #666600; float: left; margin-right: 10px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><img alt="Albert Einstein" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1198517343p2/9810.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="151" /></span></a><br />
<div class="quoteText" style="padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">“Two things are infinite: the universe and
human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9810.Albert_Einstein" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Albert
Einstein</a></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-37342865116353929552012-09-26T11:34:00.000+10:002012-09-26T11:34:13.771+10:00Jerusalem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Nu2qxiFRJrQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-17960332568144427762012-09-26T10:13:00.000+10:002012-09-26T11:35:18.575+10:00Baby's Way by Rabindranath Tagore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<h2 class="title" itemprop="itemreviewed" style="color: #f88000; margin: 42px 0px 12px;">
<div class="KonaBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 14px;">
<div style="font-size: 1.167em; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-top: 12px;">
If baby only wanted to, he could fly up to heaven this moment.<br />
It is not for nothing that he does not leave us.<br />
He loves to rest his head on mother's bosom, and cannot ever<br />
bear to lose sight of her.<br />
Baby know all manner of wise words, though few on earth can<br />
understand their meaning.<br />
It is not for nothing that he never wants to speak.<br />
The one thing he wants is to learn mother's words from<br />
mother's lips. That is why he looks so innocent.<br />
Baby had a heap of gold and pearls, yet he came like a beggar<br />
on to this earth.<br />
It is not for nothing he came in such a disguise.<br />
This dear little naked mendicant pretends to be utterly<br />
helpless, so that he may beg for mother's wealth of love.<br />
Baby was so free from every tie in the land of the tiny<br />
crescent moon.<br />
It was not for nothing he gave up his freedom.<br />
He knows that there is room for endless joy in mother's little<br />
corner of a heart, and it is sweeter far than liberty to be caught<br />
and pressed in her dear arms.<br />
Baby never knew how to cry. He dwelt in the land of perfect<br />
bliss.<br />
It is not for nothing he has chosen to shed tears.<br />
Though with the smile of his dear face he draws mother's<br />
yearning heart to him, yet his little cries over tiny troubles<br />
weave the double bond of pity and love. </div>
</div>
<div class="poet" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin: 22px 0px 25px;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;">Rabindranath Tagore</span></i></div>
</h2>
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-73813573708633956512012-09-25T18:07:00.002+10:002012-09-25T18:07:36.190+10:00Famous people from Apamea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font: medium 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><u><i><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Posidonius</i></u></span></b> meaning "of Poseidon "of Apamea" or "of Rhodes" was born in Apamea in Syria (135 BC - 51 BC), was a Greek Stoic philosopher, politician, astronomer, geographer, historian and teacher native to Apamea, Syria. He was acclaimed as the greatest polymath (a person of great and varied learning) of his age. None of his vast body of work can be read in its entirety today, as it exists only in fragments.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font: medium 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span></div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><i> Sopater of Apamea</i></u></b></span> feigned a conversion to Christianity in 325, soon after his arrival at the court of Constantine I, in order to advance his career there. His plan succeeded so well, that the praetorian prefect Ablabius felt threatened by him. He brought a charge of magic against him because he knew that it would play well to suspicions concerning the authenticity of such high profile and advantageous conversions to Christianity. He was killed and the conviction of Sopater upon this charge of magic then sufficed to erase almost all memory of his feigned con especially in the pagan tradition which welcomed the creation of a pagan 'martyr'.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>St. Julian of Apamea</u></i></b></span> was a Bishop of Apamea, Syria. He was a tough opponent of Montanism which was an early Christian movement of the late 2nd century not unlike todays Pentecostalism and Charismatic movement. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
His feast day is December 9th and he died in the third century. St. Julian of Apamea is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a family, person, place, nation, activity, or clan.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><i> Lucius Julius Agrippa</i></u></b></span> lived and became a citizen in Apamea. He was born in Italy from royalty. Little is known on his early life. In his career, Agrippa served as a Gymnasiarch which was a public official responsible for sports or games held at public festivals. This official directed Ancient Greek Gymnasiums and supervised competitors. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Agrippa also served as a Pontifex Maximus who was the high priest of the College of Pontiffs whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the state religion which encompassed the practices and beliefs of the ancient Romans as well as the many cults imported to Rome. It was usually an honour offered to members of politically powerful or wealthy families.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
In 115, Apamea had suffered a serious earthquake. During this crisis, Agrippa served as the city’s ambassador to Rome. Agrippa at his own expense had made various generous public benefactions to his community. He frequently at his own expense undertook embassies to the Roman Emperor and the Roman Senate.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
For six months, Agrippa paid and distributed (supra) expensive olive oil for anointing and corn for public use in Apamea. Agrippa with his wealth assisted in the reconstruction of Apamea in the following ways:</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
He financed the construction for an extension for the city’s aqueduct</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
In 116/117, Agrippa brought sufficient land to finance the construction for the Baths, an Adjacent Large Hall and the Stoa. The Large Hall and Stoa had lavish decorations. The Large Hall was used for concerts or competitions in music or oratory.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
The Baths in Apamea was a magnificent complex. Agrippa had commissioned a number of bronze statues to be created of Theseus and the Minotaur, the Ancient Greek God Apollo with the satyr Marsyas. These statues were placed in the b</div>
</div>
</span></span></div>
</div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-61968600224576443332012-09-25T17:50:00.002+10:002012-09-25T17:52:17.194+10:00Evas Gallery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
I am unable to post my drawings and photos onto my Evas Art blog. I have tried many ways to no avail. My second blog called Evas Gallery allows me to download my photos. I will continue to write on this blog. My web address for Evas Gallery is: evasgallery.blogspot.com <a href="http://evasgallery.blogspot.com.au/">http://evasgallery.blogspot.com.au/</a></div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-44186443515337209412012-09-19T13:15:00.000+10:002012-09-19T13:15:34.057+10:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsK3_gPYtxGS8NssexeQCzdzfIXDhNT1ZBBf479iRqCPeX9E8dwFb-JqeruVd480Lsra9t0UmkC_rsxMbfuzzN-u3lSubxpT03RrPiGHWzOhpU9ie6o220w4vRgvkjw4MOgaNi8LTCcg/s1600/yasmin+orb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsK3_gPYtxGS8NssexeQCzdzfIXDhNT1ZBBf479iRqCPeX9E8dwFb-JqeruVd480Lsra9t0UmkC_rsxMbfuzzN-u3lSubxpT03RrPiGHWzOhpU9ie6o220w4vRgvkjw4MOgaNi8LTCcg/s400/yasmin+orb2.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The orbs in the picture appeared after downloading the photographs of Yasmin<br />
taken in the castle of Masyaf in Syria.<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__xH6z6BIX6GTEcR2jtUCcRgk-xMGOducU9RowPLhVofgiSV0md-9epimnRHi9_XoVtv-4vSoCznjkeCjRE6rSNsAcvOtcqvR9WnbgoNpLza39KP6Pbe9nVzzgxC25CV1ddPaLyOzAo8/s1600/orb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__xH6z6BIX6GTEcR2jtUCcRgk-xMGOducU9RowPLhVofgiSV0md-9epimnRHi9_XoVtv-4vSoCznjkeCjRE6rSNsAcvOtcqvR9WnbgoNpLza39KP6Pbe9nVzzgxC25CV1ddPaLyOzAo8/s400/orb.jpg" width="372" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-74344518473167295272012-09-11T21:34:00.000+10:002012-09-11T21:34:33.261+10:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPBsUGeZeSmW65AxDz9LN9g6OpH7XTt5jjYRHxwd4S4t4xBv-dSO4cU62XgfyxfPKOc7s_6ThFG5kzdtHdAdrpU1dT0hb9ZmqTZuxdL5DsWtHRSxSQ5PgRH_iTmA03974KJ5hTCqgDkM/s1600/Syria+2+006+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPBsUGeZeSmW65AxDz9LN9g6OpH7XTt5jjYRHxwd4S4t4xBv-dSO4cU62XgfyxfPKOc7s_6ThFG5kzdtHdAdrpU1dT0hb9ZmqTZuxdL5DsWtHRSxSQ5PgRH_iTmA03974KJ5hTCqgDkM/s320/Syria+2+006+%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Oum Fawaz is the respectable name for a mother. Bahija is her birth name. After she married Bahija was known as Oum Fawaz after the name of her first born son, whether he was conceived or not.Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-23222061576014435732012-08-26T12:46:00.000+10:002012-08-26T12:46:26.061+10:00Dr Ihaleakala Hew Len Part 1 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3xCmvZZFQI0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
An interview by Osho Vilas from PlanetMedia with Dr Ihaleakala Hew Len.<br />
http://www.youtube.com/user/OshoVilas<br />
Dr Ihaleakala Hew Len is a gift to the world.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-83258670026033140342012-08-04T16:49:00.000+10:002012-08-04T16:49:04.723+10:00Tears of Sadness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><br />
Dear friends in Skelbieh I cry with anger and sadness for you. Yesterday I was given the news that your town was attacked. My children love you and I love you. I send you my prayers for peace.<br />
<br />
video of the attack<br />
http://youtu.be/44pD_ujAYUc<br />
<br />
<b>Prayer for Peace<br />
Mother Teresa<br />
<i></i></b><br />
Lead me from death to life<br />
from lies to truth<br />
Lead me from despair to hope<br />
from fear to trust<br />
Lead me from hatred to love<br />
from war to peace<br />
Let peace fill our heart,<br />
our world, our universe…<br />
peace, peace, peace.<br />
<br />
..I loved you in the summer...حبيتك بالصيف<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ksZPJWTHzAk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
<b>Fairuz - I Loved You In Summer</b><br />
<br />
In the days of cold and days of winter<br />
The pavement is a lake<br />
And the street is drowning<br />
That girl comes from her old house<br />
He told her "wait for me"<br />
So she waits for him in the road<br />
But he leaves and forgets her<br />
While she withers in the winter <br />
<br />
I loved you in the summer, I loved you in the winter<br />
I waited for you in the summer, I waited for you in the winter<br />
Your eyes are the summer, my eyes are the winter<br />
Our meeting darling is beyond the summer and the winter<br />
<br />
A stranger passed by and she gave me a letter<br />
My beloved wrote it with tears of sadness<br />
I opened the letter, but the letters were missing<br />
Days passed and the years drew us apart<br />
And the letters of the message were erased by the winterEvas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-48446293079385481372012-05-27T13:44:00.000+10:002012-05-27T13:45:11.833+10:00Personal Mandala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFOlk0da2QoahWWEfNJDEGglSwOoPv38Qxq7UXfTeIkZP5uwAioURSEspJSvqFwIIEi-awVEXSnlwMJY0M5nLqTvhf95SoYUqpBvkGzbjHOl7XhfPLXqerhK2bGr3-RyygBOZikJwBp8/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFOlk0da2QoahWWEfNJDEGglSwOoPv38Qxq7UXfTeIkZP5uwAioURSEspJSvqFwIIEi-awVEXSnlwMJY0M5nLqTvhf95SoYUqpBvkGzbjHOl7XhfPLXqerhK2bGr3-RyygBOZikJwBp8/s400/038.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A personal mandala is a circular drawing, painting, collage or any creative motif that expresses the important parts of your life. Mandalas can represent your thoughts and feelings on a day to day basis like a journal or diary and can be used to create a visual representation(symbols) of your world and its meaning. My mandala represented the beauty I saw in the world at the time I drew it and the things that were important to me. <br />Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-86026496516082708442012-05-18T03:13:00.000+10:002012-05-18T03:13:04.648+10:00Temenos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJQWJC5G-BqVyh8tb0oFs4M1Wbw9MM469AH0v4ubORTD-UXr6s-nRCCT8nv2D-Pl07-oqT67Z2hB4kbCrI349ApgPAcRqPb3m3FkOEPJ0hdejHxYwGdvRMYCO5EORdAkq2rs5ntP6Umk/s1600/135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJQWJC5G-BqVyh8tb0oFs4M1Wbw9MM469AH0v4ubORTD-UXr6s-nRCCT8nv2D-Pl07-oqT67Z2hB4kbCrI349ApgPAcRqPb3m3FkOEPJ0hdejHxYwGdvRMYCO5EORdAkq2rs5ntP6Umk/s400/135.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIURKsMPMzUrZp2CWo556U5tLS5SezkqwDdAvuZm6MGujSWphyphenhyphenwQWtCewnk_I5NduaEPxesK3KtVIHxY4X_6pSIiZr7qGqiQXj_0vVt8upXzuEU3tDnv3clb-3RMF8yHe5-fLVvioNmBs/s1600/137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIURKsMPMzUrZp2CWo556U5tLS5SezkqwDdAvuZm6MGujSWphyphenhyphenwQWtCewnk_I5NduaEPxesK3KtVIHxY4X_6pSIiZr7qGqiQXj_0vVt8upXzuEU3tDnv3clb-3RMF8yHe5-fLVvioNmBs/s400/137.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_t8DIGJ8BSTUOtIAx9hnA2paSrfz28IMOZsXsZcvCYqqpnkScznlmIwi5s1D0jEA_22N2P3fkCRhej5pbG1c-pivTdrspGKbSBQ2pdQPpIrb3gOK8dMJg7FdzWTsxYeVQne8uLyBX5WU/s1600/136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_t8DIGJ8BSTUOtIAx9hnA2paSrfz28IMOZsXsZcvCYqqpnkScznlmIwi5s1D0jEA_22N2P3fkCRhej5pbG1c-pivTdrspGKbSBQ2pdQPpIrb3gOK8dMJg7FdzWTsxYeVQne8uLyBX5WU/s400/136.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The name Temenos is taken from a Greek word meaning the sacred space surrounding a temple or an altar. Carl Jung used this same word to refer to the inner space deep within us where soul-making takes place. In my Art Therapy course I beaded my Temenos which was placed on the floor in the middle of a group sitting in a circle. I had created a sacred space in which we were safe and held in trust for healing and learning.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-27922541458921264662012-05-12T14:27:00.000+10:002012-05-14T00:32:45.306+10:00Asmahan al-Atrache<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-GiN0nKHAMo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
Asmahan, whose birth name was Amil was the sister of Farid al-Atrache. In 1923 she fled Syria with her mother and two brothers after their home was bombed by the French army. <br />
She performed in the 1930's and was famous for her voice and it rivalled the voice of the talented Egyptian singer Oum Kalthoum. The life of Asmahan is a tale of one of the most colourful, controversial, and inspiring women in the Arab world during the 20th century. She was a Druze princess who rebelled against society and marriage. She came from a distinguished clan from Suweyda in the mountains of Syria.<br />
Her life, especially her private life was traumatic and after marrying her cousin Prince Hassan al-Atrache in 1933 she moved back from Egypt to Syria. The marriage didn't last and after giving birth to a daughter, Camellia, she returned to Egypt and was divorced in 1939. She had three marriages in her short lifetime. She was an admired performer, a role frowned upon for women of that time. She frequently visited the homes, as a guest, of many of Egypt's rich and famous, and was also rumoured to be an agent for the Allied forces during World War II. Her death in 1944 at the age of 32 was said to be in mysterious circumstances and gave rise to many conspiracy theories.Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-48609762416012500992012-05-11T23:21:00.000+10:002012-05-14T00:32:12.557+10:00Farid al-Atrache<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iiWO1dYf-OU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
Farid al-Atrache was born in Syria and escaped the French occupation of Syria with his mother and siblings. They emigrated to Egypt where he became a composer, singer, virtuoso oud player and an actor. He was known as 'King of the Oud"(a musical instrument of the Middle East and northern Africa belonging to the lute family.)<br />
He was also well known for writing his sad love songs in his musical films and most of the instrumentals and songs sung by other singers. He was deeply in love with an Egyptian belly dancer called Samia Gamal who he gave a small role to in one of his movies when she approached him at the age of eighteen with a bunch of flowers. She was a belly dancer who came from the town of Wana in Egypt.Farid was impressed with her beauty and she idolised him. She later became famous and made movies with Farid and on her own. Her mesmerising performances brought recognition for Oriental dancing worldwide. Their romance was to last for five years and he supposedly said he couldn't marry her because he was a Druze Prince and could only marry a Druze Princess. He did have a few loves throughout his lifetime but never married. In his movies he always took the romantic lead role of a heavy hearted singer.<br />
<br />
<b>SAMIA GAMAL</b><br />
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M6HRddG0fY4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399071435082679284.post-43317120223800682662012-05-11T21:56:00.000+10:002012-05-11T21:56:26.456+10:00A Tear and a Smile by Khalil Gibran<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><br />
I would not exchange the sorrows of my heart <br />
For the joys of the multitude.<br />
And I would not have the tears that sadness makes <br />
To flow from my every part turn into laughter. <br />
<br />
I would that my life remain a tear and a smile.<br />
<br />
A tear to purify my heart and give me understanding<br />
Of life's secrets and hidden things. <br />
A smile to draw me nigh to the sons of my kind and <br />
To be a symbol of my glorification of the gods.<br />
<br />
A tear to unite me with those of broken heart; <br />
A smile to be a sign of my joy in existence.<br />
<br />
I would rather that I died in yearning and longing than that I live Weary and despairing.<br />
<br />
I want the hunger for love and beauty to be in the <br />
Depths of my spirit,for I have seen those who are <br />
Satisfied the most wretched of people. <br />
I have heard the sigh of those in yearning and Longing, and it is sweeter than the sweetest melody.<br />
<br />
With evening's coming the flower folds her petals <br />
And sleeps, embracingher longing. <br />
At morning's approach she opens her lips to meet <br />
The sun's kiss.<br />
<br />
The life of a flower is longing and fulfilment.<br />
A tear and a smile.<br />
<br />
The waters of the sea become vapor and rise and come <br />
Together and area cloud.<br />
<br />
And the cloud floats above the hills and valleys <br />
Until it meets the gentle breeze, then falls weeping <br />
To the fields and joins with brooks and rivers to Return to the sea, its home.<br />
<br />
The life of clouds is a parting and a meeting. <br />
A tear and a smile.<br />
<br />
And so does the spirit become separated from <br />
The greater spirit to move in the world of matter <br />
And pass as a cloud over the mountain of sorrow <br />
And the plains of joy to meet the breeze of death <br />
And return whence it came.<br />
<br />
To the ocean of Love and Beauty----to God.<br />Evas Arthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05077384934547652690noreply@blogger.com0