Poem of the Month, September 2014: Reconciliation: The Sulha Pomegranate
Posted: 2014/09/20 Filed under: Poem of the Month | Tags: peace poems, peace poetry 1 CommentThis poem by Ada Aharoni is a conversation between a Jew and a Palestinian about their shared history. She says that these words are very actual and so needed today.
RECONCILIATION: THE SULHA POMEGRANATE
By Ada Aharoni
Ishmael:
Why doesn’t Israel explain this more – that you too
And a million other Jews of Arab Lands like you,
Had to spread their wings wide and flee too,
Like me and my Palestinian brothers?
Yitzhak:
Why do you want Israel
To explain this more?
What is it to you? Let the past be past –
Let’s open the reconciliation pomegranate.
Ishmael:
For the past to be past my friend, I have to know.
For me it can be the saving face of Sulha*
The uncovering of the black veil of misunderstanding
On her beautiful and honest face
She proves to me that we Palestinians are not
The only underdogs,
Of the Arab-Israeli conflict –
She shows to me that tragedies,
as in all wars, are on both sides!
It makes it easier for me to
Walk with her on her Sulha path, you see.
Yitzhak:
Good for you Sulha!
Do you mean to say
Ishmael, my brother, that a second tragedy
Can cancel the first one
Or one another?
Ishmael:
It is not that two tragedies cancel one another
But it makes it an easier burden to bear
When we know the other has already paid
For the Sulha a long, long time ago…
Wait, don’t cut the pomegranate yet.
Now I can identify with you my brother –
As a mutual victim in pain,
And you can identify with me.
Yitzhak:
So now let’s open the Sulha Pomegranate
My Palestinian brother, neighbor and friend,
And let’s rejoice and flourish together with every
One of its juicy, soothing ruby grains.
*Sulha: Reconciliation, in Arabic
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Este poema de Ada Aharoni es una conversación entre un Judío y un Palestino sobre su historia compartida. Dice Ada que estas palabras son muy actuales y muy necesitadas. Traducción libre del poema, Joseph Berolo. Embajador de la Paz Colombia,
RECONCILIACION: SULHA*
* Sulha: Reconciliación, en Árabe
By Ada Aharoni
Ishmael:
Por qué Israel no lo explica más- – que usted también
y un millón de Judíos otros
de tierras árabes como usted,
tienen que desplegar sus alas
y volar también,como yo y mis hermanos palestinos.
¡Yitzhak!
¿Por qué quieres que Israel la explique más?
¡Abramos de Sulha la granada! Dejad que el pasado sea pasado.
Ishmael:
Para el pasado ser pasado, mi amigo,
yo tengo que saber.
Para mí, puede ser la salvación de Sulha-
remover de su honesto y bello rostro
el velo negro de la incomprensión…
Ella me prueba que nosotros,
los palestinos no somos los únicos desvalidos
del conflicto Arabe-Israeli–
en todas las guerras son mutuas las desgracias,
Puedes ver. Se me hace más fácil caminar
por el sendero de Sulha, Yitzhak.
¡Yitzhak!
¡Bien por Sulha! Quieres tú decir, Ishmael, mi hermano,
que otra tragedia Puede cancelar la primera ¿O ambas entre si?
Ishmael:
No es que dos tragedias se cancelen entre si.
Pero la carga se hace fácil de aguantar
cuando sabemos que el otro ya ha pagado
Por la Sulha hace ya mucho, mucho tiempo…
Espera, no cortes todavía la granada.
Ahora ya puedo identificarme contigo, mi hermano –
como víctima igual en el dolor,
Y tú puedes conmigo identificarte igual.
Yitzhak:
Desgranemos ya abierta la granada ¡Sulha!
Hermano palestino, vecino y amigo,
y gocemos y florezcamos juntos
con cada gota de su jugo,
con sus suaves ruborosos granos.
This poem by Ada Aharoni is a conversation between a Jew and a Palestinian about their shared history. She says that these words are very actual and so needed today.
RECONCILIATION: THE SULHA POMEGRANATE
By Ada Aharoni
Ishmael:
Why doesn’t Israel explain this more – that you too
And a million other Jews of Arab Lands like you,
Had to spread their wings wide and flee too,
Like me and my Palestinian brothers?
Yitzhak:
Why do you want Israel
To explain this more?
What is it to you? Let the past be past –
Let’s open the reconciliation pomegranate.
Ishmael:
For the past to be past my friend, I have to know.
For me it can be the saving face of Sulha*
The uncovering of the black veil of misunderstanding
On her beautiful and honest face
She proves to me that we Palestinians are not
The only underdogs,
Of the Arab-Israeli conflict –
She shows to me that tragedies,
as in all wars, are on both sides!
It makes it easier for me to
Walk with her on her Sulha path, you see.
Yitzhak:
Good for you Sulha!
Do you mean to say
Ishmael, my brother, that a second tragedy
Can cancel the first one
Or one another?
Ishmael:
It is not that two tragedies cancel one another
But it makes it an easier burden to bear
When we know the other has already paid
For the Sulha a long, long time ago…
Wait, don’t cut the pomegranate yet.
Now I can identify with you my brother –
As a mutual victim in pain,
And you can identify with me.
Yitzhak:
So now let’s open the Sulha Pomegranate
My Palestinian brother, neighbor and friend,
And let’s rejoice and flourish together with every
One of its juicy, soothing ruby grains.
*Sulha: Reconciliation, in Arabic
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