ASF Poetry Thread

[chops_a_must]

Wow Chops, interesting that you know of Nizar Kabbani, I didn't think he's that famous in the west. He's mainly known for his romantic poetry (really nice stuff). How do you know of him if you don't mind me asking?

After I was looking at a lot of work by Averroes I went looking for other arabic literates. He was one that came up.

 

[nelly]

When I consider everything that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and check'd even by the selfsame sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.

Willie

 

[nelly]

by Robert Louis Stevenson


I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.


The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow””
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.


He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!


One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an errant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

 

[chops_a_must]

2020

You left me no choice seriousley though, where did you hear egyptian music??? this thread IS becoming cosmopolitan, you're right (nailed it as usuall)!!! Actually more like ARABIC and what's "hilariously ironic" is that both of you aren't (I think). This whole thing is starting to feel a little weird.

ps: It's almost like "Valuing the intangible? Measuring the incalculable?" don't you think chops

another ps: I agree 2020 Thai music and chinese music is definately something you won't find in heaven

Yeah, I have no arabic blood at all.

In this sense it is. Although it is not without meaning. THERE IS SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE TEXT.

But have either of you heard Turkish music? It's standard time signature is in 9/8, crazy. The Dave Brubeck Quartet did a song in 9/8 to pay homage. This of course was the first band to bring 5/4 to the masses with Take 5.

I'll have a rant about the importance of The Dave Brubeck Quartet some other time.

 

[nelly]

Yeah, I have no arabic blood at all.

In this sense it is. Although it is not without meaning. THERE IS SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE TEXT.

But have either of you heard Turkish music? It's standard time signature is in 9/8, crazy. The Dave Brubeck Quartet did a song in 9/8 to pay homage. This of course was the first band to bring 5/4 to the masses with Take 5.

I'll have a rant about the importance of The Dave Brubeck Quartet some other time.

Hi ya....Please do...I await.......not quite with bated breath but you know what I infer......yes?

 

[chops_a_must]

Hi ya....Please do...I await.......not quite with bated breath but you know what I infer......yes?

DONE!

 

[nelly]

coool....2morrow then...am tired and have workee 2morrow....sorreee....2day!
seeya...[afterwork]
Cheerful...
p.s. am really interested!

 

[2020hindsight]

When I consider everything that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
...To change your day of youth to sullied night;
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new. Willie

and Willie again ..
"and so from hour to hour we ripe and ripe, and so from hour to hour we rot and rot "

PS thanks for the Robert L stevenson "lill shadow" poem - nice and light after the other topic I concede. now for the " Shadow San" part ( as in "mister shadow" or "shadow man") - post #138. Just that it was highly recommended to me by someone, and neither of us can find it.

But hek whether we find the poem or not, the concept is still spooky. imho
"and so from hour to hour we ripe and ripe, yet in a brilliant FLASH we instant rot" !!

 

[new girl]

Yeah, I have no arabic blood at all.

In this sense it is. Although it is not without meaning. THERE IS SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE TEXT.

But have either of you heard Turkish music? It's standard time signature is in 9/8, crazy. The Dave Brubeck Quartet did a song in 9/8 to pay homage. This of course was the first band to bring 5/4 to the masses with Take 5.

I'll have a rant about the importance of The Dave Brubeck Quartet some other time.

chops

1- So what makes you interested in arabic poetry? is it the politics side of things?
2- WAHT IS OUTSIDE THE TEXT I WONDER
3- WHAT I dont't get the 9/8, 5/4-5 at all, please explain. I have to tell you, I'm not as intellectual and deep as you and 2020 are.

ps: english is my second langauage, please use simple words when responding

more ps: I prefer Qabbani's romantic poetry, can you please post us something in english if you can find any, thanks.

 

[2020hindsight]

I dont't get the 9/8, 5/4-5 at all, please explain.

ng, I dont know 9/8 either , - but here's a guess:-

8/8 (4/4 etc)

blame it on the bossa…
Nova 345.. with it’s magic spell …2345678
Nova 345.. that he did so well …2345678

However, when you REALLY want to screw up a song lol - and confuse the hell out of everyone - and watch the dancers lose their step etc lol - you add an extra beat here and there, viz:-

blame it on the bossa…
Nova 345.. with it’s magic spell- …2345678 -ing
Nova 345.. that he did so poor- …2345678 -ly

PS I probably don't even have the 8/8 right let alone the 9/8

Imagine if a march went like that
Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Right Left Right Left etc etc

 

[new girl]

ng, I dont know 9/8 either , - but here's a guess:-

8/8 (4/4 etc)

blame it on the bossa…
Nova 345.. with it’s magic spell …2345678
Nova 345.. that he did so well …2345678

However, when you REALLY want to screw up a song lol - and confuse the hell out of everyone - and watch the dancers lose their step etc lol - you add an extra beat here and there, viz:-

blame it on the bossa…
Nova 345.. with it’s magic spell- …2345678 -ing
Nova 345.. that he did so poor- …2345678 -ly

PS I probably don't even have the 8/8 right let alone the 9/8

Imagine if a march went like that
Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Right Left Right Left etc etc

Fu#$@k you make me laugh!!!!!

ps: as for the march, I personally fly with joy when I'm marching, my feet don't even touch the ground!!

yet more ps: I tried to translate one of my Qabbani's favorites "choose" using the site you recommended earlier in this thread, the result was sh@#$t!! how do you do it?? i mean when you translate your poems how do they end up ryming?

 

[2020hindsight]

i mean when you translate your poems how do they end up ryming?

lol - CRIPES - you don;t want much do you lol.
Like I said bak there , these computers will tell you that a Russian hydraulic ram traslates as a water buffalo -
as for the rhyme - cant even think of a word that rhymes with buffalo lol.

i.e. "the press had a cog and a cam
and the will of a hydraulic ram."

would probably come out (translated)

" the laundry had a cigarette and a cameron
and the maybe of a water buffalo" etc etc

as I say - you're lucky if it makes sense. let alone rhymes. - but sometimes you find that someone else has translated and massaged it till it rhymes. , good luck

 

[chops_a_must]

yet more ps: I tried to translate one of my Qabbani's favorites "choose" using the site you recommended earlier in this thread, the result was sh@#$t!! how do you do it?? i mean when you translate your poems how do they end up ryming?

Try this site:
http://oldpoetry.com/oauthor/show/Nizar_Qabbani
It's where I got my extract from.

Arabic to English translations are pretty hard. That's why Aristotle is such a handful to read.

 

[chops_a_must]

ng, I dont know 9/8 either , - but here's a guess:-

8/8 (4/4 etc)

blame it on the bossa…
Nova 345.. with it’s magic spell …2345678
Nova 345.. that he did so well …2345678

However, when you REALLY want to screw up a song lol - and confuse the hell out of everyone - and watch the dancers lose their step etc lol - you add an extra beat here and there, viz:-

blame it on the bossa…
Nova 345.. with it’s magic spell- …2345678 -ing
Nova 345.. that he did so poor- …2345678 -ly

PS I probably don't even have the 8/8 right let alone the 9/8

Imagine if a march went like that
Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Right Left Right Left etc etc

And it was his Nizar's political stuff that got me reading him New Girl.

As to the marching, left right left right etc. all even time is essentially in a marching beat. Although, 2/4 is regarded as the main marching beat. This is also known as half time, in a lot of cases. You know, when it enters a chorus, and the drummer starts hitting the snare twice as often? Most of the time that is in 2/4.

In terms of 5/4, you put an extra bass beat in the bar, simple. It works really well if you want a really looping, rolling rhythm, like in original indie-rock and some post-rock. Also good for creating Angsty music because of that. But yeah, the best thing about Brubek, is that it is seemless.

With 9/8, I think you would have to pulse on the 1st 4th and 7th notes. Not very comfortable. You might want to check with Barney on that one though. I think I have heard one rock band try and pull it off, either it is in 9/8 or free range.

There was a jazz band in Perth called Eleventy Three. And you guessed it, the standard time signature they used was 11/3. Not easy. A fill every 33 notes, with an 11 note fill to follow... mmmm.

Anyway, back to the point of this thread.

Wilfred Owen:

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

 

[chops_a_must]

chops
2- WAHT IS OUTSIDE THE TEXT I WONDER

It was a quote from a French "philosopher" named Jacques Derrida. His famous quote is that there is nothing outside of the text, i.e. anything that is written has no purchase on the outside world, the text has meaning only in and of itself. Which, to me, is stupid and self defeating.

 

[new girl]

"A Brief Love Letter" (needless to say it sounds much better in Arabic)
Nizar Qabbani

My darling, I have much to say
Where o precious one shall I begin ?
All that is in you is princely
O you who makes of my words through their meaning
Cocoons of silk
These are my songs and this is me
This short book contains us
Tomorrow when I return its pages
A lamp will lament
A bed will sing
Its letters from longing will turn green
Its commas be on the verge of flight
Why did he sing these songs ?
Now there is no star
That is not perfumed with my fragrance
Tomorrow people will see me in his verse
A mouth the taste of wine, close-cropped hair
Ignore what people say
You will be great only through my great love
What would the world have been if we had not been
If your eyes had not been, what would the world have been?

 

[2020hindsight]

chops, here are some folk dances - just a bit of nonsense really - I dont expect you to listen to more than a 20 seconds or so of each - you'll soon get the ghist lol. - the thai stuff is a strange beat, maybe 63/37? lol

Don't blame me if you find yourself whistling that Korean song for the next week !!
When it comes to music, I have trouble thinking like a thai for instance - or specially as a korean or .... etc etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su8m2HZuoMM&mode=related&search= thai (o boy lol)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BcokC_2sH0 thai music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zOZJRC3gAk Korean folk music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAu_ipazdWI&mode=related&search= Korean dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRtK9LAT6bk&mode=related&search= peruvian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBiSNylmFhY&mode=related&search= indian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfMJVm-FDJY Korean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5e4S03nzcw&mode=related&search= Japanese folk dance

finally greek ( 10/8? who knows lol, Im no expert - but the dancers seem to know what they are doing)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGimNJLJT1Y&mode=related&search= greek dance

and philippino - ahh at last some sanity lol (again the dancers seem to know what they're doing - but simple beat helps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPqu2S-nXfw&mode=related&search= phiilippino (Tinikling , sounds like a polka to me )

 

[new girl]

It was a quote from a French "philosopher" named Jacques Derrida. His famous quote is that there is nothing outside of the text, i.e. anything that is written has no purchase on the outside world, the text has meaning only in and of itself. Which, to me, is stupid and self defeating.

Well, well chops

first, thanks for the link

second, I'm going to be honest with you, I know "next to 2/3 of 3/5 of very little about shares" same goes for poetry.

Philosophy on the other hand I know NOTHING about, nothing whatsoever. but I agree with Derrida while the text is written it has meaning only of itself, and being the "delightfully middle ground" person that I am, I want to also agree with you in the sense that IT IS STUPID, cause once the text is read it should have some bearing on the reader (the outside world) and hence stupid and self defeating

 

[new girl]

"When I Love You"
Nizar Qabbani

When I love you
A new language springs up,
New cities, new countries discovered.
The hours breathe like puppies,
Wheat grows between the pages of books,
When I love you your breasts shake off their shame,
Turn into lightning and thunder, a sword, a sandy storm.
When I love you the Arab cities leap up and demonstrate
Against the ages of repression
And the ages
Of revenge against the laws of the tribe.
And I, when I love you,
March against ugliness,
Against the kings of salt,
Against the institutionalization of the desert.
And I shall continue to love you until the world flood arrives;
I shall continue to love you untill the world flood arrives.

 

[new girl]

Arabic to English translations are pretty hard. That's why Aristotle is such a handful to read.

Excuse my ignorance chops, but what's Arabic to English got to do with Greek? please explain, she's back in politics