Monday, August 31. 2009
Distinct Difference
Sunday, August 30. 2009
Wise and Clever - By His Art
Naguib Mahfouz died August 30, 2006. Until then, he led a life of suffering, after an assassination attempt by Islamic extremists in 1994 had left him severely injured. That was long after, in 1988, Mahfouz, as a writer with "an Arabian narrative art that applies to all mankind", had been awarded with the Nobel Prize of Literature.
I wonder whether this is true. It's not as if Mahfouz's literature wouldn't apply, but does mankind really care? To be honest, who has read any of Mahfouz's work, not being a member of Oriental Studies?
And here is the time and place to say: It is difficult. It is difficult to understand a story that is situated in an area and culture still quite unknown to us. It is difficult to read something that concerns people with an attitude and way of life so different to ours. It is difficult to follow an unknown style of story telling that is not as easy going as the typical oriental story traded in the Western World, "Alf leil wa-leila", The Arabian Nights.
As he is quoted, “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.”, we realize, yes, Naguib Mahfouz is bound to be difficult. He might even make readers feel uneasy, at first. But if we do care for the Arab World and don't want to remain enlosing ourselves in a stone wall of prejudice, we all should face these difficulties and get involved, line by line. It's worth it.
Naguib Mahfouz
I wonder whether this is true. It's not as if Mahfouz's literature wouldn't apply, but does mankind really care? To be honest, who has read any of Mahfouz's work, not being a member of Oriental Studies?
And here is the time and place to say: It is difficult. It is difficult to understand a story that is situated in an area and culture still quite unknown to us. It is difficult to read something that concerns people with an attitude and way of life so different to ours. It is difficult to follow an unknown style of story telling that is not as easy going as the typical oriental story traded in the Western World, "Alf leil wa-leila", The Arabian Nights.
As he is quoted, “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.”, we realize, yes, Naguib Mahfouz is bound to be difficult. He might even make readers feel uneasy, at first. But if we do care for the Arab World and don't want to remain enlosing ourselves in a stone wall of prejudice, we all should face these difficulties and get involved, line by line. It's worth it.
Naguib Mahfouz
Friday, August 28. 2009
Miss Understanding
"I did it! I made someone happy!" She smiled all over her face.
"Hey?" said he.
"I kissed..." She named the name of her best friend.
He didn't say anything, though he was her other best friend. But he appeared alarmed.
"Don't worry", she said. "On the cheek."
"I'm always counting on that", he said.
"You always count on that", she said.
Now he smiled, too.
"Well", he said. "I would have kissed her on the cheek as well. But I doubt it would have made her happy."
"You got all the tenses right this time!" She was impressed.
"Yes", he agreed. "I was definitely tense saying this!"
"Hey?" said he.
"I kissed..." She named the name of her best friend.
He didn't say anything, though he was her other best friend. But he appeared alarmed.
"Don't worry", she said. "On the cheek."
"I'm always counting on that", he said.
"You always count on that", she said.
Now he smiled, too.
"Well", he said. "I would have kissed her on the cheek as well. But I doubt it would have made her happy."
"You got all the tenses right this time!" She was impressed.
"Yes", he agreed. "I was definitely tense saying this!"
Thursday, August 27. 2009
F. e., V.
If it's Godot I'll get it
Just V.'s not enough
For me, that's too tough
Over and over again
I wanna be found
And I'd rather say: Wake
And not just: Shake
Over and over again
With such an amount
Of crude sensation
I fear, it's salvation
Over and over again
If no measures count
And no end's in sight
And no guiding light
That's just blunt disdain
© 2009
for m.i.,
sorry, though
About T.P.
Just V.'s not enough
For me, that's too tough
Over and over again
I wanna be found
And I'd rather say: Wake
And not just: Shake
Over and over again
With such an amount
Of crude sensation
I fear, it's salvation
Over and over again
If no measures count
And no end's in sight
And no guiding light
That's just blunt disdain
© 2009
for m.i.,
sorry, though
About T.P.
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