A slither of hope is sometimes all that is possible, mentally and physically - but it might be, just maybe, enough to carry one though a hell to better times. Great poems, thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing these poems, and the new book, by Yahia Lababidi. I am particularly delighted to see the famous piece by Sliman Mansour used as the cover art.
Sliman is an almost lifelong friend of my family. He was one of my father's students in Bethlehem (1960s), who ~ according to another fellow student ~ recognised Sliman's talent and encouraged him to become an artist. And look what happened...
I feel both troubled and blessed to witness this Palestinian story which is birthing so much beauty, creativity and... the occasional slither of hope... (I will buy the book too!)
Veronika... my copy of Palestinian Wail has arrived... I am in deep, inescapably. Yahia contacted me earlier which is a gift itself... I will be in touch with him. Meanwhile too much to do... its December and time's nativity. Looking forward to the 4 days when the sky stands still. Very best wishes to all, and Yahia and the gifted helpers and wee John with the wild in his hands and his sister. The front cover and the book is a work of art to match... grace by Sliman.
Yes, thanks for saying it... for you and for me the individual tight little circle, the microcosm of space-time. Then something moves. This part of the forest is different, there are others... Joe Sundberg has an interesting story...
Reading the above now posted I tend to think some typos crept in, not just me, but the JVL people and others copying / publishing / posting the two poems. I will buy the book and find out! 😊
A belated Thank you for introducing me (once again) to a poet I do not know Philip, the first so very evocative of forages, many years ago now, with my intrepid and curious daughter, in a different country, with a different scent and many days of freedom to embark on such a poem, my sigh is from the heart, deeply embedded but you released it once again...
And hope... Hope is a word with many connotations isn't it... it carries us through no matter the quantity we keep, yes, sometimes just a tiny almost intangible slice but if we know, we know and that's just enough... 🙏🏼
A slither of hope is sometimes all that is possible, mentally and physically - but it might be, just maybe, enough to carry one though a hell to better times. Great poems, thank you.
Thanks Joshua, agreed. As I think I replied on the note, hope can carry awesome awful weight, I hope! Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing these poems, and the new book, by Yahia Lababidi. I am particularly delighted to see the famous piece by Sliman Mansour used as the cover art.
Sliman is an almost lifelong friend of my family. He was one of my father's students in Bethlehem (1960s), who ~ according to another fellow student ~ recognised Sliman's talent and encouraged him to become an artist. And look what happened...
I feel both troubled and blessed to witness this Palestinian story which is birthing so much beauty, creativity and... the occasional slither of hope... (I will buy the book too!)
Veronika... my copy of Palestinian Wail has arrived... I am in deep, inescapably. Yahia contacted me earlier which is a gift itself... I will be in touch with him. Meanwhile too much to do... its December and time's nativity. Looking forward to the 4 days when the sky stands still. Very best wishes to all, and Yahia and the gifted helpers and wee John with the wild in his hands and his sister. The front cover and the book is a work of art to match... grace by Sliman.
my copy is somewhere in the pipeline, scheduled for end of the year... very much looking forward to it!
Thank you for introducing me to Yahia, for all the good wishes, and your generosity and many gifts in our substack exchanges.
Igualmente, all the best for a contemplative and blessed time of replenishing the creative well xx 🕯️✨ ˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
Thanks and best wishes to you both ... to be continued I wish... and I'm looking again at Sliman's sky! From what heaven does kindness come?
from a heaven in the heart 💕
... to be continued ... invisible angels somewhere.
Wondeful connections, thank you Veronika!
I love these Philip! Thanks for sharing 🙏❤️
The human family trundles on!
We have hope; we believe in hope; we hope against hope; we have no hope. All of these phrases are now true for me. At the same time.
Yes, thanks for saying it... for you and for me the individual tight little circle, the microcosm of space-time. Then something moves. This part of the forest is different, there are others... Joe Sundberg has an interesting story...
Hope. I have been contemplating hope a lot lately. The poem describes the delicacy and potency of it beautifully.
The first poem is really touching also.
Thanks Philip! Lovely to see all the "crew" here in the comments. 😊
Agree!
Dear readers
Reading the above now posted I tend to think some typos crept in, not just me, but the JVL people and others copying / publishing / posting the two poems. I will buy the book and find out! 😊
A belated Thank you for introducing me (once again) to a poet I do not know Philip, the first so very evocative of forages, many years ago now, with my intrepid and curious daughter, in a different country, with a different scent and many days of freedom to embark on such a poem, my sigh is from the heart, deeply embedded but you released it once again...
And hope... Hope is a word with many connotations isn't it... it carries us through no matter the quantity we keep, yes, sometimes just a tiny almost intangible slice but if we know, we know and that's just enough... 🙏🏼