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19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East – A Collection About Arab-American Family Life in Jerusalem and the West Bank
"Tell me how to live so many lives at once ..." Fowzi, who beats everyone at dominoes; Ibtisam, who wanted to be a doctor; Abu Mahmoud, who knows every eggplant and peach in his West Bank garden; mysterious Uncle Mohammed, who moved to the mountain; a girl in a red sweater dangling a book bag; children in velvet dresses who haunt the candy bowl at the party; Baba Kamalyari, age 71; Mr. Dajani and his swans; Sitti Khadra, who never lost her peace inside. Maybe they have something to tell us. Naomi Shihab Nye has been writing about being Arab-American, about Jerusalem, about the West Bank, about family all her life. These new and collected poems of the Middle East -- sixty in all -- appear together here for the first time.
142 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
38 people are currently reading
1474 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Shihab Nye
134 books978 followersNaomi Shihab Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother. During her high school years, she lived in Ramallah in Jordan, the Old City in Jerusalem, and San Antonio, Texas, where she later received her B.A. in English and world religions from Trinity University. She is a novelist, poet and songwriter.
She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. She was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets in 2010.
She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. She was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
July 14, 2021
"What makes a man with a gun seem bigger
than a man with almonds? How can there be war
and the next day eating, a man stacking plates
on the curl of his arm, a table of people
toasting one another in languages of grace?"
- Lunch in Nablus City Park
My favorite poems in this collection were The Clean Rise; Jersusalem; Footfall; Mr. Dajani, Calling From Jericho; and All Things Not Considered. I'm so happy that I waited to read this after reading a book on the history of Palestine, because knowing the background of the region combined with keeping up with the news this year made this book so much more heartbreaking. I LOVED Naomi's intention for this book: "Poetry slows us down, cherishes small details. A large disaster erodes those details. We need poetry for nourishment and for noticing, for the way language and imagery reach comfortably into experience, holding and connecting it more successfully than any news channel we could name." It shone through expertly and the small details and family members described made me feel so at home in her words. I'm devastated that this book came out over 25 years ago and nothing has changed.
than a man with almonds? How can there be war
and the next day eating, a man stacking plates
on the curl of his arm, a table of people
toasting one another in languages of grace?"
- Lunch in Nablus City Park
My favorite poems in this collection were The Clean Rise; Jersusalem; Footfall; Mr. Dajani, Calling From Jericho; and All Things Not Considered. I'm so happy that I waited to read this after reading a book on the history of Palestine, because knowing the background of the region combined with keeping up with the news this year made this book so much more heartbreaking. I LOVED Naomi's intention for this book: "Poetry slows us down, cherishes small details. A large disaster erodes those details. We need poetry for nourishment and for noticing, for the way language and imagery reach comfortably into experience, holding and connecting it more successfully than any news channel we could name." It shone through expertly and the small details and family members described made me feel so at home in her words. I'm devastated that this book came out over 25 years ago and nothing has changed.
October 22, 2016
I was thinking today before winding up 19 Varieties of Gazelle that these poems by Naomi Shihab Nye rather reminds me of Mahmoud Darwish's poetry. The author or these poems is half Palestinian and half American. Her father was born in Palestine.
Though living in America Shihab Nye was able to capture the beauty and wisdom of Arab poetry. Even in English translation, poetry by a number of Arab poets I've read is incredibly beautiful and touches my soul.
This collection is geared towards teenagers, but adult poetry lovers will also enjoy it. Naomi Shihab Nye evokes home, family, orchards, ancient stones, grandmas, uncles, children, embroidery, loss, the land, war, occupation, Palestine.
My first encounter with her work was a YA novel entitled Habibi (meaning "Beloved" in Arabic) which was for awhile out of print but is now happily available once again. Naomi Shihab Nye is a novelist and short story writer. I love what I've read of her works so far. Her writing explores both pain and optimism.
A couple of excerpts from her poems in this volume:
From the poem Ducks, Naomi Shihab Nye starts with a quote:
"We thought of ourselves as people of culture.
How long will it be till others see us that way again?"
---Iraqi friend
Someday she would go there.
Her voice, among all those voices.
In Iraq a book never had one owner--it had ten.
Lucky books, to be held often
and gently, by so many hands.
Later in American libraries she felt sad
for books no one ever checked out.
From Trenches and Moats and Mounds of Dirt:
An ancient world thick as fleece and layered
grapes,
stones stacked into walls on hillsides,
the neat lineage of orchards...
even now in shuttered rooms
silver needles pulling thread till
a bird rises from the cloth
to fly in circles
over a scene she does not
recognize.
Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye on PoemHunter:
http://www.poemhunter.com/naomi-shiha...
Though living in America Shihab Nye was able to capture the beauty and wisdom of Arab poetry. Even in English translation, poetry by a number of Arab poets I've read is incredibly beautiful and touches my soul.
This collection is geared towards teenagers, but adult poetry lovers will also enjoy it. Naomi Shihab Nye evokes home, family, orchards, ancient stones, grandmas, uncles, children, embroidery, loss, the land, war, occupation, Palestine.
My first encounter with her work was a YA novel entitled Habibi (meaning "Beloved" in Arabic) which was for awhile out of print but is now happily available once again. Naomi Shihab Nye is a novelist and short story writer. I love what I've read of her works so far. Her writing explores both pain and optimism.
A couple of excerpts from her poems in this volume:
From the poem Ducks, Naomi Shihab Nye starts with a quote:
"We thought of ourselves as people of culture.
How long will it be till others see us that way again?"
---Iraqi friend
Someday she would go there.
Her voice, among all those voices.
In Iraq a book never had one owner--it had ten.
Lucky books, to be held often
and gently, by so many hands.
Later in American libraries she felt sad
for books no one ever checked out.
From Trenches and Moats and Mounds of Dirt:
An ancient world thick as fleece and layered
grapes,
stones stacked into walls on hillsides,
the neat lineage of orchards...
even now in shuttered rooms
silver needles pulling thread till
a bird rises from the cloth
to fly in circles
over a scene she does not
recognize.
Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye on PoemHunter:
http://www.poemhunter.com/naomi-shiha...
December 18, 2011
"We need poetry for nourishment and for noticing, for the way language and imagery reach comfortably into experience, holding and connecting it more successfully than any news channel we could name." (xvi)
19 Varieties of Gazella is a book of poetry written about the middle east: the struggles, the food, the beliefs, but mostly the people. I think that this is more "my kinda" poetry book. Each poem is vivid, but not embedded in so many poetic devices that my mind wanders trying to decipher its meaning.
I only wish that I knew more about the Middle East. I think that it would have made an already enjoyable book moreso.
Trenches and Moats and Mounds of Dirt
An ancient world thick as fleece and layered grape,
stone stacked into walls on hillsides,
the neat lineage of orchards . . .
even now in shuttered rooms
silver needles pulling thread till
a bird rises from cloth
to fly in circles
over a scene she does not
recognize.
Where is her nesting place,
the safe slot between branches?
There is a language
between two languages
called Mean but who will admit
they are speaking it?
"Let's change places," the teenagers said.
"For a week, I'll be you and you be me."
Knowing if they did, they could never fight again.
Listen to them.
19 Varieties of Gazella is a book of poetry written about the middle east: the struggles, the food, the beliefs, but mostly the people. I think that this is more "my kinda" poetry book. Each poem is vivid, but not embedded in so many poetic devices that my mind wanders trying to decipher its meaning.
I only wish that I knew more about the Middle East. I think that it would have made an already enjoyable book moreso.
Trenches and Moats and Mounds of Dirt
An ancient world thick as fleece and layered grape,
stone stacked into walls on hillsides,
the neat lineage of orchards . . .
even now in shuttered rooms
silver needles pulling thread till
a bird rises from cloth
to fly in circles
over a scene she does not
recognize.
Where is her nesting place,
the safe slot between branches?
There is a language
between two languages
called Mean but who will admit
they are speaking it?
"Let's change places," the teenagers said.
"For a week, I'll be you and you be me."
Knowing if they did, they could never fight again.
Listen to them.
May 24, 2018
An excellent collection of 60 poems. Some of the highlights were:
"The Garden of Abu Mahmoud:"
"he came out to this garden/dug hands into the earth saying, I know you/and the earth crumbled rich layers/and this result of their knowing — a hillside in which no inch went unsung."
"Lunch in Nablus City Park:"
"What makes a man with a gun seem bigger than a man with almonds?”
"19 Varieties of Gazelle"
"A gash of movement/A spring of flight. She saw them then/ she did not see them…"
"Ducks"
"In her first home each book / had a light around it./The voices of distant countries floated in through open windows…"
"The Garden of Abu Mahmoud:"
"he came out to this garden/dug hands into the earth saying, I know you/and the earth crumbled rich layers/and this result of their knowing — a hillside in which no inch went unsung."
"Lunch in Nablus City Park:"
"What makes a man with a gun seem bigger than a man with almonds?”
"19 Varieties of Gazelle"
"A gash of movement/A spring of flight. She saw them then/ she did not see them…"
"Ducks"
"In her first home each book / had a light around it./The voices of distant countries floated in through open windows…"
January 28, 2024
Summary: Within these verses, we meet a cast of characters, each a brushstroke in the vibrant canvas of life. From Fowzi, the domino maestro, to Ibtisam, aspiring to be a doctor, and Abu Mahmoud, the gardener with an intimate knowledge of eggplants and peaches. Nye's poetry dances through the lives of these individuals, offering glimpses of their dreams, resilience, and the enduring peace within. Whether it's a girl in a red sweater, Uncle Mohammed on the mountain, or the enigmatic Sitti Khadra, each poem weaves a tale that echoes with universal truths.
Pros:
🌟 Five stars for a collection that's both poignant and captivating! Nye's ability to distill storytelling and emotions into verses is nothing short of magical.
😂 Humorous, powerful, heartwarming, and thought-provoking, these poems cover a spectrum of emotions. The variety keeps readers engaged, much like a rollercoaster that tickles the soul.
🌍 The cultural richness embedded in each poem offers a window into the Middle East, fostering understanding and appreciation. "19 Varieties of Gazelle" serves as a bridge connecting diverse lives and experiences.
💖 Personal favorites, like "Steps," "Lunch in Nablus City Park," "Stain," "Biography of an Armenian Schoolgirl," and "Those Whom We Do Not Know," showcase Nye's mastery of crafting impactful stories within the constraints of verse.
Cons:
📚 If I were to nitpick, the only downside is that the book eventually ends. But fear not, for the poems linger, like the aroma of a well-spiced dish, leaving a lasting impression.
📚 In conclusion, "19 Varieties of Gazelle" is a literary banquet that satisfies the hunger for evocative, culturally resonant poetry. Naomi Shihab Nye's verses are not just words; they are power. A poetic triumph! 🌟📜
Pros:
🌟 Five stars for a collection that's both poignant and captivating! Nye's ability to distill storytelling and emotions into verses is nothing short of magical.
😂 Humorous, powerful, heartwarming, and thought-provoking, these poems cover a spectrum of emotions. The variety keeps readers engaged, much like a rollercoaster that tickles the soul.
🌍 The cultural richness embedded in each poem offers a window into the Middle East, fostering understanding and appreciation. "19 Varieties of Gazelle" serves as a bridge connecting diverse lives and experiences.
💖 Personal favorites, like "Steps," "Lunch in Nablus City Park," "Stain," "Biography of an Armenian Schoolgirl," and "Those Whom We Do Not Know," showcase Nye's mastery of crafting impactful stories within the constraints of verse.
Cons:
📚 If I were to nitpick, the only downside is that the book eventually ends. But fear not, for the poems linger, like the aroma of a well-spiced dish, leaving a lasting impression.
📚 In conclusion, "19 Varieties of Gazelle" is a literary banquet that satisfies the hunger for evocative, culturally resonant poetry. Naomi Shihab Nye's verses are not just words; they are power. A poetic triumph! 🌟📜
April 18, 2021
"Even on a sorrowing day
the little white cups without handles
would appear
filled with steaming hot tea
in a circle on the tray,
and whatever we were able
to say or not say,
the tray would be passed,
we would sip
in silence,
it was another way
lips could be speaking together,
opening on the hot rim,
swallowing in unison."
The Tray // Naomi Shihab Nye
I read a few of Nye's poems online last year after I bought the collection, although I did not actually get it until January 2021 due to the pandemic, and I immediately noticed the heavy prominence of narrative. She has a great way of using her verses to tell stories, to relate anecdotes which makes them appear home-y, like a space you can inhabit, or even an experience you can share. One can see the influence of Arab poetry in her writing. Her father is Palestinian, coming to the US after 1948, and her mother is American. So there's a curious synthesis of two very different cultures.
She approaches the Middle East through the sheer variety of its people, their food, their beliefs, and their struggles. A common theme is loss and its inheritance, home and the very idea of belonging, a whole people turned rootless and now wandering. Focusing on small details that make up human life, Nye's gentle observations are instantly evocative. The Israel-Palestine crisis looms throughout. She advocates for unity & peace, coming together to end the conflict. These poems have nostalgia and melancholy in heaps, quiet remembrances of days gone by, but they provide no easy answers.
the little white cups without handles
would appear
filled with steaming hot tea
in a circle on the tray,
and whatever we were able
to say or not say,
the tray would be passed,
we would sip
in silence,
it was another way
lips could be speaking together,
opening on the hot rim,
swallowing in unison."
The Tray // Naomi Shihab Nye
I read a few of Nye's poems online last year after I bought the collection, although I did not actually get it until January 2021 due to the pandemic, and I immediately noticed the heavy prominence of narrative. She has a great way of using her verses to tell stories, to relate anecdotes which makes them appear home-y, like a space you can inhabit, or even an experience you can share. One can see the influence of Arab poetry in her writing. Her father is Palestinian, coming to the US after 1948, and her mother is American. So there's a curious synthesis of two very different cultures.
She approaches the Middle East through the sheer variety of its people, their food, their beliefs, and their struggles. A common theme is loss and its inheritance, home and the very idea of belonging, a whole people turned rootless and now wandering. Focusing on small details that make up human life, Nye's gentle observations are instantly evocative. The Israel-Palestine crisis looms throughout. She advocates for unity & peace, coming together to end the conflict. These poems have nostalgia and melancholy in heaps, quiet remembrances of days gone by, but they provide no easy answers.
January 8, 2022
Impak buku puisi ini pada saya biasa-biasa. Mungkin saya yang kurang empati? Atau kurang mendalami tulisan-tulisan ini?
September 11, 2016
This book is knocking me out. It proves that beauty and the poetry of words and gentleness and respectful observation of the small details of our days and love for humanity (all of humanity) is larger than the sky and more powerful than force.
January 10, 2020
"Writers, believers in words, could not give up words when the going got rough...Why should it be any surprise that people find solace in the most intimate literary genre? Poetry slows us down, cherishes small details. A large disaster erases those details. We need poetry for nourishment and for noticing, for the way language and imagery reach comfortably into experience, holding and connecting it more successfully than any news channel we could name." (xvi)
Written after September 11, 2001, this is a collection of poems written by Naomi Shihab Nye. All poems are somehow connected to people, objects, or topics from the Middle East. Reading many of these poems reminded me of when I visited Israel and Jordan in the early 1990s.
Written after September 11, 2001, this is a collection of poems written by Naomi Shihab Nye. All poems are somehow connected to people, objects, or topics from the Middle East. Reading many of these poems reminded me of when I visited Israel and Jordan in the early 1990s.
July 5, 2010
I'll say it again, I'm not a big fan of poetry, but the introduction alone was enough to propel me through half the book. Nye talks about the terrorist attacks on September 11th and the importance of realizing that many, if not most, Middle Eastern people were not behind them. She discusses how she turns to poetry, and while I don't have a lot of patience for it, the images she creates with her verses are quite lovely.
Part of my trouble with poetry is that I am so used to traditional reading, with plain text on a page, that any other format is a lot of work for me to read. And poetry, as Nye mentions, is slow and forces you to take in the detail. So while it is difficult for me, I think that poetry would be a great option for kids who do not like or who have trouble with the traditional text format. These poems specifically might appeal to those who are from the Middle East but are living in America, like Nye herself. Or they might be useful to someone trying to learn about another culture. Or they might just be enjoyed for their powerful imagery alone.
Part of my trouble with poetry is that I am so used to traditional reading, with plain text on a page, that any other format is a lot of work for me to read. And poetry, as Nye mentions, is slow and forces you to take in the detail. So while it is difficult for me, I think that poetry would be a great option for kids who do not like or who have trouble with the traditional text format. These poems specifically might appeal to those who are from the Middle East but are living in America, like Nye herself. Or they might be useful to someone trying to learn about another culture. Or they might just be enjoyed for their powerful imagery alone.
March 16, 2011
The 60 poems written by Naomi Shihab Nye and published under a very peculiar title “19 Varieties of Gazelle” represent voices of people living in the Middle East. In her writing, the author describes neighbors, family members, friends and strangers and portrays their fears, anxieties and hopes. Through the eyes of a father burying his 4 month daughter and “silent Jewish and Arab women standing together”, the reader can see the nonsense of killing and living under constant mutual oppression. The poems scream for normal life and stability. They illustrate that the both sides of the conflict crave for a peaceful coexistence. Besides the dark side of the war, the author also speaks about beautiful traditions and customs of the Arab world.
I found this collection of poems captivating. The author, Naomi Shihab Nye does a wonderful job describing the emotions, situations and customs. I enjoyed reading the poems of Middle East and believe that high school readers can find it also interesting.
I found this collection of poems captivating. The author, Naomi Shihab Nye does a wonderful job describing the emotions, situations and customs. I enjoyed reading the poems of Middle East and believe that high school readers can find it also interesting.
November 23, 2023
UPDATE (reread, November 2023): currently rereading, will replace with my thoughts once I’m done
I have chills right now- mostly at the fact that this as written 25 years ago and absolutely nothing has changed. Being Palestinian, this struck extra hard, and I saw myself in the authors writing. I tested up towards the end of this 😭
A few of my favorite quotes:
“They have told us we are not here when we were always here. Their eraser does not work”
“after a while, you will have nothing more they can take”
“What makes a man with a gun seem bigger than a man with almonds? How can there be war and the next day eating”
I have chills right now- mostly at the fact that this as written 25 years ago and absolutely nothing has changed. Being Palestinian, this struck extra hard, and I saw myself in the authors writing. I tested up towards the end of this 😭
A few of my favorite quotes:
“They have told us we are not here when we were always here. Their eraser does not work”
“after a while, you will have nothing more they can take”
“What makes a man with a gun seem bigger than a man with almonds? How can there be war and the next day eating”
January 25, 2011
An empowering look into life in the Middle East. As an easy read, yet, not without taking the time to digest and absorb the in depth nature of the poems.
December 29, 2021
Spent a long good while with Naomi. It was well worth it. She felt incredibly esoteric at the start, but she grew on me a lot.
Her writing surfaces layers of story and chaos I would never have dreamed of. But the best poetry always expands our dreams.
Her style is less about syntax and rhythm, movement in the words, than the movement of emotion and experience and memory she’s walking you through, yet still with such precise diction. She can weave stories in such short form that I’m barely catching my breath before I’m sliding my eyes right back to the start to take it all in again. Especially stories of sitting in the dizziness of living between two cultures-she hits it with nauseating clarity.
Her writings on Palestine, her Sitti, and the ravages of conflict are especially compelling and harshly beautiful. I want to savor and cry at every word in some of these poems. Layers, again. But for those interested in a better understanding of Palestine, the Palestinian experience, or even Arab-American experiences, I would highly recommend.
Favorites from this collection:
- Those Whom We Do Not Know
- Darling
- Rock
- Arabic
“…but later in the slick street / [he] hailed a taxi by shouting ‘Pain!’ and it stopped / in every language and opened its doors.”
- Holy Land
- Footfall
- How Long Peace Takes
- Jerusalem Headlines 2000
- All Things Not Considered
- Two Countries
“Even now, when skin is not alone / it remembers being alone and thanks something larger / that there are travelers, that people go places / larger than themselves.”
Her writing surfaces layers of story and chaos I would never have dreamed of. But the best poetry always expands our dreams.
Her style is less about syntax and rhythm, movement in the words, than the movement of emotion and experience and memory she’s walking you through, yet still with such precise diction. She can weave stories in such short form that I’m barely catching my breath before I’m sliding my eyes right back to the start to take it all in again. Especially stories of sitting in the dizziness of living between two cultures-she hits it with nauseating clarity.
Her writings on Palestine, her Sitti, and the ravages of conflict are especially compelling and harshly beautiful. I want to savor and cry at every word in some of these poems. Layers, again. But for those interested in a better understanding of Palestine, the Palestinian experience, or even Arab-American experiences, I would highly recommend.
Favorites from this collection:
- Those Whom We Do Not Know
- Darling
- Rock
- Arabic
“…but later in the slick street / [he] hailed a taxi by shouting ‘Pain!’ and it stopped / in every language and opened its doors.”
- Holy Land
- Footfall
- How Long Peace Takes
- Jerusalem Headlines 2000
- All Things Not Considered
- Two Countries
“Even now, when skin is not alone / it remembers being alone and thanks something larger / that there are travelers, that people go places / larger than themselves.”
July 15, 2013
7 June 2002 19 VARIETIES OF GAZELLE: POEMS OF THE MIDDLE EAST by Naomi Shihab Nye, Greenwillow, April 2002
"In her first home each book has a light around it.
The voices of distant countries
floated in through open windows,
entering her soup and her mirror.
They slept with her in the same thick bed.
Someday she would go there.
Her voice, among all those voices.
In Iraq a book never had one owner--it had ten.
Lucky books, to be held often
and gently, by so many hands.
Later in American libraries she felt sad
for books no one ever checked out..."--from DUCKS
In her preface to this beautiful collection of poetry, Naomi Shihab Nye notes:
"September 11, 2001 was not the first hideous day ever in the world, but it was the worst one many Americans had ever lived. May we never see another like it. For people who love the Middle East and have an ongoing devotion to cross-cultural understanding, the day felt sickeningly tragic in more ways than one. A huge shadow had been cast across the lives of so many innocent people and an ancient culture's pride...I dedicate these poems of my life to the wise grandmothers and to the young readers in whom I have always placed my best faith. If grandmothers and children were in charge of the world, there would never be any wars. Peace, friends. Please don't stop believing."
I maintain such a sadness within myself from the events of September 11th. As with everyone else, and just like during my childhood with the deaths of King, the Kennedys, and later, Lennon, September 11th is a point in time I will never forget--a day and a week during which I struggled to believe. The damage we've all suffered continues. In a series of extensive interviews at the end of the school year, our graduating eighth-graders seemed consistent in their pessimism about the future.
I learned of the horrors of that day when I crawled out of bed, brought up my overnight email, and saw an incomprehensible subject heading on a message from a member of The Undertow, the international message board devoted to New York musician Suzanne Vega. My immediate fears were of blind and massive retaliation and re-retaliation. I spontaneously posted a series of old peace songs from John Lennon, Peter Alsop, Melanie. The rumbling that followed made me feel like I was the pebble on the beach under the impending tidal wave, as demands rained down for retaliation against all enemies--perceived and imagined--including those who weren't waving a flag and shouting for war.
"...There is a language between two
languages
called Mean but who would admit
they are speaking it?
'Let's change places,' the teenagers said.
'For a week, I'll be you and you be me.'
Knowing if they did, they could never fight again.
Listen to them." --from TRENCHES AND MOATS AND MOUNDS OF DIRT
Two unforgettable essays appeared on The Undertow that week. One was by a young man in Mexico, the second by a woman in Colorado. Both messages passionately and articulately begged for reason, understanding, and tolerance. Both authors were immediately and viciously blasted as anti-American. Seriously threatened on-list and off-. I made my own fumbling plea for severing the chain of hatred, sent the two authors personal letters of support, and quietly left the list. I wish now that I had their addresses that I might send them copies of this wonderful collection of poetry.
STAIN
She scrubbed as hard as she could with a stone.
Dipping the cloth, twisting the cloth.
She knew the cloth much better than most,
having stitched its vines of delicate birds.
The red, the blue, the purple beaks.
A tiny bird with head held high.
A second bird with fanning wings.
Her fingers felt the folded hem.
The water in her pan was cool.
She stood outside by the lemon tree.
Children chattered around her there.
She told the children, "Take care! Take care!"
What would she think of the world today?
She died when she was one hundred and six.
So many stains would never come out.
She stared at the sky, the darkening rim.
She called to the children, "Come in! Come in!"
She stood on the roof, tears on her face.
What was the thing she never gave up?
The simple love of her difficult place.
Because I believe that understanding leads to tolerance, and tolerance leads to peace, it brings me great relief to find a book such as this one to share with my family, my friends, and those students who are struggling in these difficult times. Naomi's fascinating poems are sometimes playful, other times solemn; they are filled with elemental pleasures and spiritual quests; the wisdom of past generations...along with the shards of lives shattered by the failures of generation after generation to just get along.
RED BROCADE
The Arabs used to say
When a stranger appears at your door,
feed him for three days
before asking who he is,
where he's come from,
where he's headed.
That way, he'll have strength enough
to answer.
Or, by then you'll be such good friends
you don't care.
Let's go back to that.
Rice? Pine nuts?
Here, take the red brocade pillow.
My child will serve water
to your horse.
No, I was not busy when you came!
I was not preparing to be busy.
That's the armor everyone put on
to pretend they had a purpose
in the world.
I refuse to be claimed.
Your plate is waiting.
We will snip fresh mint
into your tea.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"In her first home each book has a light around it.
The voices of distant countries
floated in through open windows,
entering her soup and her mirror.
They slept with her in the same thick bed.
Someday she would go there.
Her voice, among all those voices.
In Iraq a book never had one owner--it had ten.
Lucky books, to be held often
and gently, by so many hands.
Later in American libraries she felt sad
for books no one ever checked out..."--from DUCKS
In her preface to this beautiful collection of poetry, Naomi Shihab Nye notes:
"September 11, 2001 was not the first hideous day ever in the world, but it was the worst one many Americans had ever lived. May we never see another like it. For people who love the Middle East and have an ongoing devotion to cross-cultural understanding, the day felt sickeningly tragic in more ways than one. A huge shadow had been cast across the lives of so many innocent people and an ancient culture's pride...I dedicate these poems of my life to the wise grandmothers and to the young readers in whom I have always placed my best faith. If grandmothers and children were in charge of the world, there would never be any wars. Peace, friends. Please don't stop believing."
I maintain such a sadness within myself from the events of September 11th. As with everyone else, and just like during my childhood with the deaths of King, the Kennedys, and later, Lennon, September 11th is a point in time I will never forget--a day and a week during which I struggled to believe. The damage we've all suffered continues. In a series of extensive interviews at the end of the school year, our graduating eighth-graders seemed consistent in their pessimism about the future.
I learned of the horrors of that day when I crawled out of bed, brought up my overnight email, and saw an incomprehensible subject heading on a message from a member of The Undertow, the international message board devoted to New York musician Suzanne Vega. My immediate fears were of blind and massive retaliation and re-retaliation. I spontaneously posted a series of old peace songs from John Lennon, Peter Alsop, Melanie. The rumbling that followed made me feel like I was the pebble on the beach under the impending tidal wave, as demands rained down for retaliation against all enemies--perceived and imagined--including those who weren't waving a flag and shouting for war.
"...There is a language between two
languages
called Mean but who would admit
they are speaking it?
'Let's change places,' the teenagers said.
'For a week, I'll be you and you be me.'
Knowing if they did, they could never fight again.
Listen to them." --from TRENCHES AND MOATS AND MOUNDS OF DIRT
Two unforgettable essays appeared on The Undertow that week. One was by a young man in Mexico, the second by a woman in Colorado. Both messages passionately and articulately begged for reason, understanding, and tolerance. Both authors were immediately and viciously blasted as anti-American. Seriously threatened on-list and off-. I made my own fumbling plea for severing the chain of hatred, sent the two authors personal letters of support, and quietly left the list. I wish now that I had their addresses that I might send them copies of this wonderful collection of poetry.
STAIN
She scrubbed as hard as she could with a stone.
Dipping the cloth, twisting the cloth.
She knew the cloth much better than most,
having stitched its vines of delicate birds.
The red, the blue, the purple beaks.
A tiny bird with head held high.
A second bird with fanning wings.
Her fingers felt the folded hem.
The water in her pan was cool.
She stood outside by the lemon tree.
Children chattered around her there.
She told the children, "Take care! Take care!"
What would she think of the world today?
She died when she was one hundred and six.
So many stains would never come out.
She stared at the sky, the darkening rim.
She called to the children, "Come in! Come in!"
She stood on the roof, tears on her face.
What was the thing she never gave up?
The simple love of her difficult place.
Because I believe that understanding leads to tolerance, and tolerance leads to peace, it brings me great relief to find a book such as this one to share with my family, my friends, and those students who are struggling in these difficult times. Naomi's fascinating poems are sometimes playful, other times solemn; they are filled with elemental pleasures and spiritual quests; the wisdom of past generations...along with the shards of lives shattered by the failures of generation after generation to just get along.
RED BROCADE
The Arabs used to say
When a stranger appears at your door,
feed him for three days
before asking who he is,
where he's come from,
where he's headed.
That way, he'll have strength enough
to answer.
Or, by then you'll be such good friends
you don't care.
Let's go back to that.
Rice? Pine nuts?
Here, take the red brocade pillow.
My child will serve water
to your horse.
No, I was not busy when you came!
I was not preparing to be busy.
That's the armor everyone put on
to pretend they had a purpose
in the world.
I refuse to be claimed.
Your plate is waiting.
We will snip fresh mint
into your tea.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
May 11, 2019
The reason for my 3-star review is that a lot of the poems don't make sense at all or are sad. I like how all the poems kind of follow a theme. Sometimes I liked how the poems were "coded" and I was the detective trying to decipher them.
November 12, 2020
Nye’s poetry sings, cries, moans, whispers. This collection is full of smells and tastes and sorrow and blood. With so few words, I am easily transported to the rich heart of Palestine and can feel and taste every details. Yes, yes.
November 21, 2020
A beautiful collection of poems. Vivid imagery and depth of emotions; wistful is the word that came to mind after reading. These poems made the Middle East (and the lives of people there) come alive for me through the small included details.
January 24, 2024
Maybe I’m not well enough versed in poetry to like this book. Many poems are tragic. Many are choppy. I start to paint an image of what the writer is saying, then the scene changes with seemingly no relevance to the last few verses.
December 21, 2024
Wow. This was eye-opening and heart-wrenching. A beautiful collection of poems about the Middle East from "a true Arab." It offers some much-needed perspective.
Like all poetry, read it slowly, then read it again.
Like all poetry, read it slowly, then read it again.
February 6, 2022
Not so much of a poetry reader, this one started kind of slow for me, then picked up speed, then I read the last 40 pages at a gulp and it broke my heart.
October 16, 2022
Simple yet powerful poetry. I loved it.
April 10, 2017
Luminous.
It's amazing how mere words can unlock memories, inspire the senses, and make another world come so alive. This book, these words, Nye's poetry, transported me back to the place where I lived for a few years in my 20s and 30s. It made me fall in love with the Middle East all over again.
Lovely, powerful metaphors.
It's amazing how mere words can unlock memories, inspire the senses, and make another world come so alive. This book, these words, Nye's poetry, transported me back to the place where I lived for a few years in my 20s and 30s. It made me fall in love with the Middle East all over again.
Lovely, powerful metaphors.
April 11, 2015
Overall, a highly enjoyable collection. Naomi Shihab Nye does a very good job of giving the Middle east a human face. Now, I'm not one of those "All Muslims are evil" type people (although I have met them), but this book does a phenomenal job shattering that unfeeling self-deception. With poems like "The Man Who Makes Brooms" and "The Garden of Abu Mahmoud"(which may be my favorite two poems in the book) and "For the 500th Dead Palestinian, Ibtisam Bozieh" 19 Varieties of Gazelle paints a human picture of the Arabic world that cannot be ignored. Nye's language is powerful and interesting. From "All Things Not Considered"
If that isn't enough, here is the opening of "Praying for Wind": "On one side of the world/he's fanning the fire he started/on the other side of the world.//From the sofa he names grandchildren."
I can't list all the poems I loved, but among them were "Praying for Wind", "Red Brocade", the title poem, and "Olive Jar". Unfortunately, not all the poems were as good as the best of them. I read and reread "Passing the Refugee Camp" and couldn't find its heart, and did the same with "Biography of an Armenian Schoolgirl" and think I only almost figured out what Nye is saying. Some poems are very close to perfection, but not quite there, like "Things Don't Stop" which contains some of Nye's best language: "Palestinian girls with huge dark moons/under their eyes stand in line seven hours/for seven pieces of bread." and the later in the piece:
Sadly, this piece (after having read it multiple times) still doesn't quite hang together the way it should. That is my biggest issue with Naomi Shihab Nye's work; she rarely improves much with a second reading. Some pieces (like those in T.S. Eliot, or Mark Doty, or Charlie Smith's Jump Soul: New and Selected Poems) if not understood completely on the first read, later reads tend to bring both greater understanding and greater enjoyment. Ms. Nye's work, when it is confusing, will be better understood with a reread, but only the poems that jump right out with what they have to say in the first place seem to get better when read again. The less clear and "obvious" work just seems forced. The presence of those sorts of poems with some frequency is the biggest flaw in the book. She alternates between natural and heartfelt, powerful and impressively poetic appeals to humanity and pieces that appear to be failed attempts at what she does fabulously elsewhere.
Recommended, but with a warning. If this is your first Naomi Shihab Nye book, don't let difficulties with a few poems stop you; the really good stuff is in there. Just keep reading until you find it.
You cannot stitch the breath
back into this boy.
A brother and sister were playing with toys
when their room exploded.
In what language
is this holy?
If that isn't enough, here is the opening of "Praying for Wind": "On one side of the world/he's fanning the fire he started/on the other side of the world.//From the sofa he names grandchildren."
I can't list all the poems I loved, but among them were "Praying for Wind", "Red Brocade", the title poem, and "Olive Jar". Unfortunately, not all the poems were as good as the best of them. I read and reread "Passing the Refugee Camp" and couldn't find its heart, and did the same with "Biography of an Armenian Schoolgirl" and think I only almost figured out what Nye is saying. Some poems are very close to perfection, but not quite there, like "Things Don't Stop" which contains some of Nye's best language: "Palestinian girls with huge dark moons/under their eyes stand in line seven hours/for seven pieces of bread." and the later in the piece:
And the boy in my house stoops
to the ground, gathering clipped grass,
piling mountains on the sidewalk,
light draining quietly from the street.
Saying "Stop," saying "Watch,"
and I want to, because in this world
there is nothing better to do.
Sadly, this piece (after having read it multiple times) still doesn't quite hang together the way it should. That is my biggest issue with Naomi Shihab Nye's work; she rarely improves much with a second reading. Some pieces (like those in T.S. Eliot, or Mark Doty, or Charlie Smith's Jump Soul: New and Selected Poems) if not understood completely on the first read, later reads tend to bring both greater understanding and greater enjoyment. Ms. Nye's work, when it is confusing, will be better understood with a reread, but only the poems that jump right out with what they have to say in the first place seem to get better when read again. The less clear and "obvious" work just seems forced. The presence of those sorts of poems with some frequency is the biggest flaw in the book. She alternates between natural and heartfelt, powerful and impressively poetic appeals to humanity and pieces that appear to be failed attempts at what she does fabulously elsewhere.
Recommended, but with a warning. If this is your first Naomi Shihab Nye book, don't let difficulties with a few poems stop you; the really good stuff is in there. Just keep reading until you find it.
April 13, 2017
Never before was I interested in reading poetry books - I would read it online, but a whole book was just too monotone. I found them particularly drab in taste due to the setup and freeform system of it all. My teacher had recommended this to me, as the author is a keynote speaker at a writing conference I will be attending. I picked up the book and ended up loving it.
It took me a while to get used to the freeform setup of the book, as there is no clear overarching plotline other than the author (Naomi's) life. Each poem is very special in its own way, and all are unique to the stories that they tell of. Some recount her adventures at school, others tell of her family, and even more are analyzations of the world and people surrounding Naomi. The stories also have a miraculous way of drawing in the senses like you couldn't imagine, like describing prolific fig trees and different traditional dishes. Surely, it is an entertaining read. At first, it can be slow, but it is totally worth reading if you have the time available to do so.
I actually ended up reading her "Poems for Girls" book, and I must say that I am so glad that I discovered and became open to poetry as a whole genre, with even more tales and stories to explore! I can't wait to read more and listen to her as a keynote speaker at the conference I am attending!
It took me a while to get used to the freeform setup of the book, as there is no clear overarching plotline other than the author (Naomi's) life. Each poem is very special in its own way, and all are unique to the stories that they tell of. Some recount her adventures at school, others tell of her family, and even more are analyzations of the world and people surrounding Naomi. The stories also have a miraculous way of drawing in the senses like you couldn't imagine, like describing prolific fig trees and different traditional dishes. Surely, it is an entertaining read. At first, it can be slow, but it is totally worth reading if you have the time available to do so.
I actually ended up reading her "Poems for Girls" book, and I must say that I am so glad that I discovered and became open to poetry as a whole genre, with even more tales and stories to explore! I can't wait to read more and listen to her as a keynote speaker at the conference I am attending!
July 31, 2010
MIDDLE EAST BOOK AWARD WINNER (2003)
Format: Poetry
Age level: High school
Protagonist: NA
Review:
This is a collection of poems, all written by Naomi Shihab Nye. All of the poems are written in free verse and reflect her life living in the middle east.
Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy this book. I was hoping to gain a greater understanding as to what life was like for the author, but that didn't happen. I think one of the problems is she seems to be writing from a Middle Eastern perspective to a Middle Eastern audience. Having no connections whatsoever, I feel as if I was lacking knowledge to comprehend her writing.
Another problem I found was understanding whether her poems were about actual people and events or extended metaphors. This problem could absolutely have to do with my poor analysis skills and not be a result of the author. That being said, I think it was harder to distinguish as one reads through poem after poem, all with the same format. It might have behooved me to read a few poems at a time and then return to the book.
There were nearly 60 poems in the book. I marked about 11 poems as ones I either understood or helped me gain understanding. While that's not enough to me to recommend the entire book, there is definitely the possiblility of using individual poems.
Obviously, this could be used in a unit on poetry. The variety of topics addressed by Nye also allows her poems to fit into other units of study as well, such as war, fear, growing up, family, etc. Her poems might work well with Tasting the Sky by Ibtsikam Barakat because they seem to have some similar themes, are both written by young women, and share some cultural context.
Format: Poetry
Age level: High school
Protagonist: NA
Review:
This is a collection of poems, all written by Naomi Shihab Nye. All of the poems are written in free verse and reflect her life living in the middle east.
Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy this book. I was hoping to gain a greater understanding as to what life was like for the author, but that didn't happen. I think one of the problems is she seems to be writing from a Middle Eastern perspective to a Middle Eastern audience. Having no connections whatsoever, I feel as if I was lacking knowledge to comprehend her writing.
Another problem I found was understanding whether her poems were about actual people and events or extended metaphors. This problem could absolutely have to do with my poor analysis skills and not be a result of the author. That being said, I think it was harder to distinguish as one reads through poem after poem, all with the same format. It might have behooved me to read a few poems at a time and then return to the book.
There were nearly 60 poems in the book. I marked about 11 poems as ones I either understood or helped me gain understanding. While that's not enough to me to recommend the entire book, there is definitely the possiblility of using individual poems.
Obviously, this could be used in a unit on poetry. The variety of topics addressed by Nye also allows her poems to fit into other units of study as well, such as war, fear, growing up, family, etc. Her poems might work well with Tasting the Sky by Ibtsikam Barakat because they seem to have some similar themes, are both written by young women, and share some cultural context.
December 10, 2012
Genre: Poetry
Summary: This book is a collection of poetry by Naomi Shihab Nye about the various cultures, customs, people, and traditions in the Middle East. Many of her experiences and memories are fondly recorded in a free verse style of poetry.
A) Area of Focus: Organization
B) Poetry is often a daunting medium for young readers. It requires them to think beyond the actual text which can be difficult. The organization of the poems in an anthology such as this can make all of the difference in whether or not young readers are actively engaged in the text. It can also determine the amount of meaning they take away. While the poems were rich with various cultural details, the poor organization could deter some young readers.
C) The poems are organized into two sections, with absolutely no semblance of organization. After having read all of the poems, several categories that the poems could be organized into come to mind. The author could have organized them into experiences or memories from certain geographical areas, according to the various cultures and customs, or according to whom the poem is about, to name a few. However, the poems are organized in a way that isn't apparent to the reader. Section one contains poems about her fathers love of fig trees, gypsies, and praying. Section two contains poems about gazelles, the arabic language, hats and football.
Curriculum Connection: The poems in the collection were fantastic. I would absolutely use some of them in a lesson on multi-cultural writings.
Summary: This book is a collection of poetry by Naomi Shihab Nye about the various cultures, customs, people, and traditions in the Middle East. Many of her experiences and memories are fondly recorded in a free verse style of poetry.
A) Area of Focus: Organization
B) Poetry is often a daunting medium for young readers. It requires them to think beyond the actual text which can be difficult. The organization of the poems in an anthology such as this can make all of the difference in whether or not young readers are actively engaged in the text. It can also determine the amount of meaning they take away. While the poems were rich with various cultural details, the poor organization could deter some young readers.
C) The poems are organized into two sections, with absolutely no semblance of organization. After having read all of the poems, several categories that the poems could be organized into come to mind. The author could have organized them into experiences or memories from certain geographical areas, according to the various cultures and customs, or according to whom the poem is about, to name a few. However, the poems are organized in a way that isn't apparent to the reader. Section one contains poems about her fathers love of fig trees, gypsies, and praying. Section two contains poems about gazelles, the arabic language, hats and football.
Curriculum Connection: The poems in the collection were fantastic. I would absolutely use some of them in a lesson on multi-cultural writings.
February 11, 2017
Nye's poetry connects a place to the people who inhabit it, the people who have left it, and the people who carry it within them.
It's easy for me to love this work because I see so much of my family - my wife's family - in it. Nye writes of a culture I wasn't born to, but chose, and live. And what she writes feels true; I see it in my mother-in-law's kitchen. In my father-in-law's garden, the town of Bireh, in the West Bank, where we walked from one relative's house to another, to another, to another, from morning till late at night. Where the graveyard is full of family...
What Nye writes is true. It's good. And it's true.
It's easy for me to love this work because I see so much of my family - my wife's family - in it. Nye writes of a culture I wasn't born to, but chose, and live. And what she writes feels true; I see it in my mother-in-law's kitchen. In my father-in-law's garden, the town of Bireh, in the West Bank, where we walked from one relative's house to another, to another, to another, from morning till late at night. Where the graveyard is full of family...
What Nye writes is true. It's good. And it's true.
November 7, 2023
Added notes 11/2023:
Reading with new eyes today as the latest Israel/Palestine conflict rages and body counts rise. Shihab Nye's words remind us of the humanity - each child, each mother's terror, each piece of bread in soft palm - behind the staggering numbers, the bombs.
Original review:
Page 105 Untitled (Even On a Sorrowing Day)so amazing, a perfect short poem
The fact that the poems in this collection are all untitled may speak to the fact Nye writes here about the small untallied moments, about people of everday consequence but living in quiet anonyminty as far as the western world is concerned. A loving glimpse into the lives of Arab-Americans and Middle Eaterners.
I wrote a beautiful poem today and a few last week I thought were some of my best. But I am reading Tales of a Severed Head (Rachida Madani/isbn 9780300176285) and 19 Varieties of Gazelle (Noami Shihab Nye) and now my poems feel paltry, nothing more than pretty artifice; they are giggle in the face of a long wail, light as limmerick when placed next to these women's psalms.
I have no knowledge of war, of isolation. I have only my well-fed life. I have no shattered hands to hold this cup of steeping tea, no almonds to hold out in my palms as an offering. Just these flimsy lines, not even verse.
Sadly, I must return this copy to the Library today and the copy I ordered for myself is still on backorder
Reading with new eyes today as the latest Israel/Palestine conflict rages and body counts rise. Shihab Nye's words remind us of the humanity - each child, each mother's terror, each piece of bread in soft palm - behind the staggering numbers, the bombs.
Original review:
Page 105 Untitled (Even On a Sorrowing Day)so amazing, a perfect short poem
The fact that the poems in this collection are all untitled may speak to the fact Nye writes here about the small untallied moments, about people of everday consequence but living in quiet anonyminty as far as the western world is concerned. A loving glimpse into the lives of Arab-Americans and Middle Eaterners.
I wrote a beautiful poem today and a few last week I thought were some of my best. But I am reading Tales of a Severed Head (Rachida Madani/isbn 9780300176285) and 19 Varieties of Gazelle (Noami Shihab Nye) and now my poems feel paltry, nothing more than pretty artifice; they are giggle in the face of a long wail, light as limmerick when placed next to these women's psalms.
I have no knowledge of war, of isolation. I have only my well-fed life. I have no shattered hands to hold this cup of steeping tea, no almonds to hold out in my palms as an offering. Just these flimsy lines, not even verse.
Sadly, I must return this copy to the Library today and the copy I ordered for myself is still on backorder
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