Poetry as the Struggle for Truth: Dareen Tatour

At a time when so many poets are still recovering after dangerous months of walking the dog and fighting for a Tesco Home Delivery slot, it’s salutary to remember there are writers who risk imprisonment or worse for bearing witness and telling their truth.

After a three-year ordeal of prosecution, jail and house arrest Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour was sentenced in August 2018 to five months in prison for a handful of social media posts and a poem titled ‘Resist them my People, Resist Them’. She was convicted by an Israeli court of “incitement to violence” and “support of terrorist organizations.”

Tatour, supported by PEN International, defended her poetry as a protest against Israel’s persecution of her people. After her release she was awarded the 2019 OXFAM Novib/PEN award for Freedom of Expression.

I am delighted to say that Dareen has recorded a poem for #plagueopoems. She is a strong woman determined still to use poetry as a weapon against discrimination and injustice, no matter the consequences. When I asked her about the role of poetry in today’s world, she answered

“ Through poetry we can break all boundaries and exchange cultures and feelings.
I feel that the world without poetry and poets is a dry world that contains nothing. Poetry, particularly political poetry that comes through the poets, is a basis for change, and the way to say no to all aspects of dictatorship.”

Strength and support to the thousands of poets worldwide who are risking life and liberty to express themselves.


Here Dareen reads 'Don't Stay Silent':

Don’t stay silent!

(Translated by: Mohammed Mousa)

You, daughter of existence!

Don’t stay silent.
Ask them: 

Who burnt the olive branches in the face of peace? 

Who turned off the colours in the eye of daylight? 

Who injected misery into the laughter of kids?
Who shackled the melodies in the canary’s song?
Don’t stay silent !
In your suppressed voice, a wail and a dying.
Don't be ashamed!
Don’t weaken!
Rather, shout!
Don’t acquiesce, but resist!
Ask them:
Who made damage live in our lives?

Don’t stay silent!
In your wounded voice, a killer rejoices.

Don’t stay silent!
Silence is a killer and your voice is the deterrent.
Spread the word and resist.
For they fear your rebellious writing.

Don’t stay silent!
Silence is a crime.
Rape is a crime.
Occupation is a crime.
These crimes are against you.
The effortless gestures of so called men.

Don’t stay silent.
Don’t be afraid!
Break up the chains .
Break up your fears
And melancholia.
Be the echo!
The bird was never afraid of the grip of the oppressor.
Chains never silenced the songs of canary.
Bars never stopped it from playing the melody of life.
Don’t bend down!
Be the poem, be the story, be the phrase, 

be the words
Oh, my friend,
don’t stay silent.
Be like the bird —
Unafraid of the cage.
Be the sun in the sky with its brightness.
No need for a star that does not light up
Destroy fatigue
Be suns!
I know the sun always shines with good news
Don’t stay silent!
In your slaughtered silence an oppressor smiles/
Walk with me—
For a revolution.
Forever!
And throw a stone in the face of the oppressors. 
You are the civilization!
The beautiful sights!
And hope.
Revolt against all the injustices.
The scruples
Tribes
And distress.
Revolt against beliefs that come from idols

Don’t stay silent —
for silence ruptures the heart like a dagger
Makes the meanings and images bleed.
Don’t stay silent—
Resist
for the voice despite its pain will be victorious.

 

 

لا تَصْمِتي

 

يا أَنْتِ، يا بِنْتَ الوُجودْ       

لا تَصْمِتي

قولي لَهُمْ

مَنْ أَحْرَقَ الزَّيْتونَ في وَجْهِ السَّلامْ؟

مَنْ أَطْفَأَ الأَلْوانَ مِنْ عَيْنِ النَّهارْ؟

مَنْ أَدْخَلَ الآهاتِ في ضَحِكِ الصِّغارْ؟

مَنْ كَبَّلَ الأَلْحانَ في صَوْتِ الكَنارْ

 

لا تَصْمِتي

في صَوْتِكِ الـمَكْتومِ وَيْلٌ وَٱحْتِضارْ

لا تَخْجَلي

لا تَضْعُفي

بَلْ فَٱصْرَخي

لا تَرْضَخي بَلْ قاوِمي

قولي لَهُمْ

مَنْ ذا الَّذي قَدْ أَسْكَنَ العُمْرَ الدَّمارْ؟

 

لا تَصْمِتي

في صَمْتِكِ الـمَجْروحِ يَفْرَحُ قاتِلٌ

لا تَصْمِتي

الصَّمْتُ سَفَّاحٌ وَصَوْتُكِ رادِعٌ

بُثِّي الكَلامَ وَقاوِمي

فَٱلكُلُّ يَخْشى حَرْفَكِ ٱلـمُتَمَرِّدْ

 

لا تَصْمِتي

هٰذا السُّكوتُ جَريمَةٌ

وَٱلاِغْتِصابُ جَريمَةٌ

وَٱلاِحْتِلالُ جَريمَةٌ

كُلُّ ٱلجَرائِمِ ضِدّكِ

مِنْ إِشارَةَ تَبْدَأُ

مِنْ ذا ٱلـمُسَمَّى بِالرَّجُلْ

 

لا تَصْمِتي

لا تَرْهَبي

لا تَجْزَعي

قُدِّي السَّلاسِلَ وَٱلـمَخاوِفَ وَٱلكَمَدْ

كوني الصَّدى

لَمْ تُرْهِبِ ٱلعُصْفورَ قَبْضَةُ ظالِمٍ

لَمْ تُسْكِتِ ٱلأَقْفاصُ تَغْريدَ ٱلكَنارْ

لَـمْ تَثْنِهِ ٱلقُضْبانُ عَنْ عَزْفِ أَلْحانِ ٱلحَياهْ

لا تَنْحَني

صيري ٱلقَصيدَةَ وَٱلحِكايَةَ وَٱلجُمَلْ

صيري ٱلكَلامْ

 

أَرَفيقَتي

لا تَصْمِتي

كوني كَما ٱلعُصْفورِ لا تَخْشَيْ قَفَصْ

كوني ٱلغَزالَةَ^[1] في السَّماءِ وَنورَها

لا حاجَةٌ لِجَوْنَةِ^([2]) لا تُبْرِقُ

بيدي الكَلَلْ

كوني الشُّموسْ

إِنَّ الشُّموسَ عَرَفْتُها

في كُلِّ صُبْحٍ بِٱلبَشائِرِ تُشْرِقُ

مُنْذُ الأَزَلْ

 

لا تَصْمِتي

في صَمْتِكِ ٱلـمَذْبوحِ يَسْعَدُ ظالِمٍ

سيري مَعي

في ثَوْرَةٍ حَتَّى ٱلأَبَدْ

وَٱرْمي ٱلحَجَرْ

في وَجْهِ أَشْباهِ ٱلبَشَرْ

أَنْتِ ٱلحَضارَةُ وَٱلـمَعالِمُ وَٱلأَمَلْ

ثوري عَلى كُلِّ ٱلـمَظالِمِ وَٱلوَساوِسِ وَٱلقَبائِلِ وَٱلكَدَرْ

ثوري عَلى هُبَلٍ يُسَيِّرُهُ هُبَلْ

 

لا تَصْمِتي

فَالصَّمْتُ يَعْبَثُ في ٱلفُؤادِ كَخِنْجَرٍ

يُدْمي ٱلـمَعاني وَالصُّوَرْ

لا تَصْمِتي

ثوري فَإِنَّ الصَّوْتَ رَغْمَ ٱلآهِ

حَتْمًا يَنْتَصِرْ

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([1])الغزالة: الشَّمس عند طلوعها؛ لأنّها تمدُّ حبالًا من نورها كأنَّها تغزل. 

([2]) الجونَة: الشَّمْس.

An interview with Dareen by Salon Magazine:

https://www.salon.com/2016/08/10/dareen-tatour-palestinian-poet-imprisoned-by-israel-for-social-media-posts-shares-her-story/

Two more poems by Dareen:

https://pierrejoris.com/blog/new-poems-by-dareen-tatour-under-house-arrest-in-israel/

Overview of work by PEN International:

https://pen-international.org/who-we-are/our-impact/the-impact-of-pen-work