Trills and Spills from ‘Gilgamesh’s Snake’

Posted on December 14, 2022 by JMN

Verses are from Ghareeb Iskander, Gilgamesh’s Snake and Other Poems, Bilingual Edition translated from the Arabic by John Glenday and Ghareeb Iskander, Syracuse University Press, 2016. Translations here are mine.

lā taqul jā’a man jā’a wa ḏahaba man ḏahaba — Don’t say this one came and that one went away.
lā takallam ^ani-l-bilādi-l-latī raḥalat — Don’t speak of the country that has departed.
lā takallam ^ani-l-wajdi — Don’t speak of strong emotion.
li-māḏa lā taqūlu-l-ḥaqīqaẗa —Why don’t you tell the truth?
mā huwa launu-l-mauti wa-mā huwa launu-l-ḥayāẗi — What is the color of death, and what is the color of life?
lā tu’arriẖ li-l-^adami — Don’t write history for the benefit of nothingness.

(c) 2022 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.
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4 Responses to Trills and Spills from ‘Gilgamesh’s Snake’

  2. Sue Grey-Smith's avatar Sue Grey-Smith says:
    December 15, 2022 at 2:36 am

    I think you’ve captured that wonderful combination of colours that can be seen in India and Vietnam and Morocco, Jim. It makes the script look stunning!
    cheers Sue

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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