CALL Network | Text | UN: alnnahs

[alkhimia2i]

[Being holed up in a safehouse as she is, Ana is a little short on stimulating conversation. As much as she might want to resist engaging in this strange magical cellphone, she doesn't hold out for too long. After all, from what she can tell, these people have no idea who she is.

What she posts comes in two pieces, the first a series of lines in Arabic text followed by a helpful translation in English. The second piece is commentary.]

ﺃﺩﻣﻨﺖ ﺍﺣﺰﺍﻧﻲ
ﻓﺼﺮﺕ ﺍﺧﺎﻑ ﺍﻥ ﻻ ﺍﺣﺰﻧﺎ
ﻭﻃﻌﻨﺖ ﺁﻻﻓﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺍﺕ
ﺣﺘﻰ ﺻﺎﺭ ﻳﻮﺟﻌﻨﻲ ﺑﺎﻥ ﻻ ﺍﻃﻌﻨﺎ
ﻭﻟﻌﻨﺖ ﻓﻲ ﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻠﻐﺎﺕ
ﺣﺘﻰ ﺻﺎﺭ ﻳﻘﻠﻘﻨﻲ ﺑﺎﻥ ﻻ ﺍﻟﻌﻨﺎ
ﻭﻟﻘﺪ ﺗﺸﺎﺑﻬﺖ ﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﻼﺩ
ﻓﻼ ﺍﺭﻯ ﻧﻔﺴﻲ ﻫﻨﺎﻙ، ﻭﻻ ﺍﺭﻯ ﻧﻔﺴﻲ ﻫﻨﺎ

I was addicted to my sorrows,
Until I became scared of not being sorrowful.
And I was stabbed thousands of times,
Until it felt painful not to be stabbed.
And I was cursed in all the languages,
Until I became nervous of not being cursed.
And all the countries seemed the same,
in that I neither see myself there, nor do I see myself here.


I came across this while reading, so I thought I might share it. No particular reason, except than I found it to be moving. I wouldn't mind hearing your opinions.

Comments

[alkhimia2i]

It can be. The same can be said for all of the important things in life.

[cosmetological]

Then I'd say one of the greatest crimes in the world is to destroy something truly beautiful.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Whoever or whatever's behind giving out these devices, it seems to favor those who've been on kind of a rocky path.

[alkhimia2i]

I see.

At least we're in good company. Birds of a feather, you might say.

[alkhimia2i]

I am deeply sorry for your friend. No child should be so unhappy with the home they've been given. In an ideal world, we could provide a home like yours to every child that needed one.

Unfortunately, the world often falls short of ideal.

[alkhimia2i]

[Small blessings... But she'll still have to be careful with her rendezvous. It's fortunate that she already has certain measures taken care of...]

I will take your word on that. You wouldn't be the first to make that recommendation.

Any others, perhaps?

[thygospelevity]

:o(

[For a moment, he doubts that giving Kankri or the rest of them a home like his would really make them happy. But he can't stand for thoughts like them, so he stops thinking it.]

All the universe is balanced. This is what has been preached to me. The grief trapeze must swing down if it is to go higher.

Perhaps someday I shall find the means to change his mother fuckin future, and we can become better friends that way. :o)

[jinglejangle]

[There have been a few times in McCree's life where he's truly felt like he's made a mistake. When he first joined Blackwatch - when he left Blackwatch - but most things he felt he could handle. Not very many things he's chosen to do have led him to feel regret.

But this? This is one of those times. He shouldn't have said anything about Gabe and Jack. If Angela didn't know, it was for a damn good reason.

There's a sick feeling in his stomach, and he doesn't know what he should say. Where does he go from here?]

You don't have anything to apologize for. You would've done the best you could have if you were there.

[jinglejangle]

Reckon it's still too soon to judge.

But if you're fine with that, so am I.

[alkhimia2i]

That sounds fair. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.

I'll keep in mind not to assault you with fancy words in the future.

[caduceusoncall]

Unfortunately, no. I haven't been here long and the time I have spent has been non-recreational. I believe there's an app on this device that lists notable locations. I haven't visited most of them, so I can't give you feedback, but it may be worth checking.

[caduceusoncall]

I still should have been there. I left behind real world responsibilities to take care of this world. They were good men. They were like fathers to me - to many of us. I should have been there.

But that's not for here. Thank you for telling me, Jesse. I'm sorry I missed the funeral. There was a funeral, I hope? They laid them to rest at the very least?

[alkhimia2i]

I wish you luck, my dear. But it sounds to me that he already has a very good friend.

[thygospelevity]

[That is a very kind thing to say. It winds him a little bit.]

I seek to do my utmost best to be! Mirth's blessing to thee also!

[alkhimia2i]

A little recreation is good once in a while, Doctor.

[She would surely be called a hypocrite, if Angela knew who that was coming from...]

I haven't explored all of the features on this device just yet. I'll make sure to give that one a look.

[boundinblood]

From the responses you've had already, I would say there definitely are. The people I know that I was thinking of, sadly, haven't been given a device like this.

Is that another reason for sharing this, to find other people who could say the same?

[She assumes the other can relate to it, too - after all, it seems like an odd thing to share without personal connection to it.]

[alkhimia2i]

That, I can agree with. Though I have to ask: What brought that on?

[alkhimia2i]

[Another person who seems to think that the poem was a reference to herself... Well, she did set herself up for that by posting it out of the blue.]

I guess I've given that impression, haven't I? But I'm afraid not. The poem was simply something I was reading.

I can understand the sentiment behind it, though. And I have sympathy for those who have dealt with it. I just hadn't realized that it would strike a chord with so many.

[boundinblood]

Even if it doesn't have personal meaning to someone, I feel like people like us - those here who do relate to it...we almost always touch the lives of someone who doesn't understand it.

Poetry and song are sometimes more effective at encouraging understanding than any explanation.

[cosmetological]

What brought what on?

The discussion about destruction?

I guess part of that is believing that most beautiful things don't get to last. Not because of anything wrong with them.

The world's not a great place a lot of the time.

[alkhimia2i]

Poetry and song are more felt than heard. Words have a way of not being enough, when trying to explain matters of the heart and mind. Or anything else, really.

[boundinblood]

Very true. I wish I had the inclination for it, myself. If only as a better way to express myself, at least.