Mahmoud Darwish -- "Identity Card" | محمود درويش -- بطاقة الهوية

[MainPolar]

This poem was the very first poem I read for M. Darwish in my childhood, and since then, since that day, I realized that we (The Palestinians) are nothing but numbers in the eyes of the UN, and the eyes of the world.

[seeker45100]

beautiful poem, goose bumps! The best Arabic teacher I ever had!!! amazing person inside out, she loves the language and teaches it with great love too. miss being in her class.

[aan3]

Excellent recitation ever! I've heard many people read this same poem in Arabic and English but this recitation is the best I've heard! I can't say more. :) Great job to the reader.

[Evethemagnificent]

The arabic text is so rich, no translation into any language will ever give the poem justice

[ma7adaful]

verey nice

[grummeper]

6 - Therefore! Record on the top of the first page: I do not hate poeple Nor do I encroach But if I become hungry The usurper's flesh will be my food Beware.. Beware.. Of my hunger And my anger!

[grummeper]

5 - Record! I am an Arab You have stolen the orchards of my ancestors And the land which I cultivated Along with my children And you left nothing for us Except for these rocks.. So will the State take them As it has been said?!

[grummeper]

4 - My father.. descends from the family of the plow Not from a privileged class And my grandfather..was a farmer Neither well-bred, nor well-born! Teaches me the pride of the sun Before teaching me how to read And my house is like a watchman's hut Made of branches and cane Are you satisfied with my status? I have a name without a title!

[grummeper]

3 - Record! I am an Arab I have a name without a title Patient in a country Where people are enraged My roots Were entrenched before the birth of time And before the opening of the eras Before the pines, and the olive trees And before the grass grew

[grummeper]

1 - Record! I am an Arab And my identity card is number fifty thousand I have eight children And the nineth is coming after a summer Will you be angry? 2 - Record! I am an Arab Employed with fellow workers at a quarry I have eight children I get them bread Garments and books from the rocks.. I do not supplicate charity at your doors Nor do I belittle myself at the footsteps of your chamber So will you be angry?

[vivascargill]

will no one help me bring this poem to my class!

[vivascargill]

I listen to you read and I start to cry--just weep uncontrolbly

[vivascargill]

I wish I could get a response on this Palestinian friends say "record" is not quite accurate--Arabic I understand like ancient Greek has a dual I have heard the beginning translated as "quote me"-- I need an annotated edition or a very good translation--I want to expose this poem to my students PLEASE FOR PALESTINE

[abdalla1010]

انا مش عارف لايش حكت في الانكليزي اول...؟؟؟؟

[mtsamman]

Superb poem, transelation doesn't do justice !!

[vivascargill]

@mtsamman I am looking for a annotated translation--or at least could you suggest one My Palestinian friends tell me "record" is not quite the right word--are there metrics? Do the words Darwish uses have multiple resonances ? Poets and translators tell me that when a poem is translated the original poem dissolves--

having said this this remains a remarkable and heart breaking poem even in English

[grummeper]

@vivascargill - yes - but use the text - until we found one who can translate it better ...

[vivascargill]

@grummeper but it is not his poem!! This is an English poem that is connected to some degree with Darwish when you translate q poet friend of mine says the original poem disolves'

[grummeper]

@vivascargill - ØV - I will ask my friends!

[vivascargill]

@mtsamman please can you help me translatr/annotate brother Darwish's great poem

[vivascargill]

@mtsamman I spoke to the woman reading in the video yesterday--she agrees "record" is not the right word (it is NOT her translation)she also told me Darwish is speaking to the UN!! in this poem which changes the poem for me (I had thought it was some zionist police thug) She promised to help me Also--look at some of the Jimmy Carter video's the only President who supports the palestinians--he is ridiculed it is very bad here I am afraid for my Arab friends

[fethidz1]

@vivascargill I think TAKE NOTE instead of RECORD is more apropriate

[vivascargill]

@fethidz1 ah! yes I like that!! It works better in English as well many thanks!!

[vivascargill]

Please to any Palestinian--I want as best as possible to acquaint my students with this poem--but I need annotations I need to understand his artistic and technical power--his political power that I understand and admire full well! But he was not just a pamphleteer he was a POET --I would appreciate help.

[PalestineCitizen2009]

Moving Speech and hope this brings a awareness and the liberation of Palestine. Justice for the oppressed inshallah

[vivascargill]

@PalestineCitizen2009 moving and elequent taye philistine! What beautiful poem!

[vivascargill]

@PalestineCitizen2009 there are two elements of Judiasm who oppose Zionism

I watched one on your channel Orthodox Jews who believe that there MUST be no Jewish Homeland until the advent of the messaih--the other group are secular--God bless them both!!

[vivascargill]

I can only think of Milton'a great poem:

Avenge o Lord thy slaughtered saints whose bones lie scattered on the alpine mountains cold ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old

When all our fathers worshipped stocks and stones

Forget not: in thy book RECORD their groans,,, ((I will post the rest later)

change some words and it is for the Palestinian people!

please a good edition oh Darwish in english! please!

[vivascargill]

please if anyone knows--either this lovely woman or what I wish to ask her--about a good annotated translation of Darwish please contact me. Also if you read some of the comments about Abu Ammar--they are disgraceful. It is not for me to comment except to say he was a brave man--only if I had gone through the suffering he did would I have the right and even then it would be disgraceful. I urge you whether you agreed fully with him or not to look at he videos and read the comments!

[vivascargill]

I talked to a Palestinian friend--he says "record" is not quite the right translation--he says "take down" (and I suppose write) is better

[vivascargill]

As tribute I have been trying to exchange a video of the great Paul Robeson. An Israeli who admired Darwish is interviewed on another video--and says something very important about modern Western poetry which speaks to why Darwish or Ritsos (in Greece) they were friends--were such great poets!

Also I have heard that the Zionists poisoned Abu Amar

[vivascargill]

does the english word "record" capture what Darwish wants to convey? Would "listen!" work --"record" in modern english is a thin word--and who the the poet address? Who is he asking to "record"? In English --in Milton's great poem--applicable to Palestine "Avenge Oh Lord thy slaughtered saints!"

he uses the word "record" addressing God

"in thy book record their groans" so who is Darwish asking to "record"?

[vivascargill]

I cannot stop watching this--I had read him in English but does anyone know of an annotated english text of at least some his poems?

[dal4018]

@vivascargill THANKS LOVED THIS

[vivascargill]

this is remarkable may God bear the soul of Mahamoud Darwish to paradise

[whitegardenia45]

Very moving. 62 years ago the Palestinian people were dispossessed of their land. But not their hope. Hope lives on. Long live Palestine.

[szaharna]

yo that's my cousin! Takbeeeeeeer!

[middleeasternarab]

i did my paper on him...im glad i did...proud to be Pali!!

[AbuOmarAhwazi]

Amazing, moving, very proud to be ARAB!!

[vivascargill]

@AbuOmarAhwazi and for one of Jewish descent I can only recite the beginning of the most beautiful prayer for the dead el malach rachamin--oh God full of compassion--take Mahamoud under the wings of your Shekinah and bear him to heaven--Palestine will be free--all of Palestine Darwish was one of the greatest poets patriots and men of all time--the Paul Robeson of Palestine--rest eternal grant him light perpetual shine upon him!

[abuserria]

نحن بحاجة لهؤلاء لتوضيح رؤيانا.... ما شاء الله

[sukani84437]

ما شاء الله

برافو عليك يا أستاذة سهاد!!!!

It was a God-given honor to be in your class

Thank you for this beautiful reading

[vivascargill]

@cedroxan no she made me love her deeply

[hananfarhan]

i got the chills...so powerful!

excellent job!

[tox3z]

Brave young lady. i just love her :]

[noonalee]

touching recitation

[RapahelakaMac]

It is amazing..

[sanantoniomimi]

Excellent reading!

[anditisover]

very touching!