And They Took Her Out of Her Land to Give Her Life!
Salaamo 'Alieko Lily,
At last, here is my reply.
First, I must apologise again for replying so late. I was really busy and I hardly found time to sit and write an interpretation -- a good interpretation. I will tell you something: last Thursday, I decided to write my reply here; but I could not. I had to go out, so what did I do? I printed your poem to be able to read it and decide what to write in the car!!!
My problem is that I always want to write something good, so I do not reply immediately for the sake of thinking; and this causes troubles :(.
Now, I like this poem very much. It has a strong sense of lament and grief. Permit me to write the interpretation in the third person, because it gives me more space to judge, write and criticise.
Beginning with "They took me out of my land to give me life!", the poet/heroine so artfully describes her state with some invaders. They took her out of her land to give her life! This is, of course, illogical but for them; they try to convince her (and all the other natives!) that they do so for their sake and benefit. And they took her out of her land to give her life. During such allusions, one may be deceived by their claims and believe them that they are friendly -- that they want to give him/her life! The result will be, if one believes them, blindness. "I went blind! / Blind! Blind! Blind!" To succeed in their mission, the invaders filled her mind with "hallucinations". I think they must have said, "We will give you a better life. We will improve your standard of living!" Here, the heroine went "mad". "I went mad! / Blind! Blind! Blind! / Mad! Mad! Mad!"
And they took her out of her land to give her life!
They made her as they wanted her to be: "They framed my body with their hands / A brick… / After a brick…" Allah! In other words, they changed her so that she would be what they wished her to be: nothing in the world! They then rejoice to see that she is lost in all ways; she has lost her land, her identity... everything!
And they took her out of her land to give her life!
However, she is still awake. Yes, she is still awake, though she is awake in "a world built with their very hands." She then wonders what is to be done! I think she must use her mind to regain her identity. She must not forget her land, her ancestors, her history; those things cannot be erased by any invader from one's mind. They can prevent us from doing some actions; but they cannot prevent us from thinking and remembering.
And they took her out of her land to give her life!
The poem is full of irony and sarcasm. The poet says that they took her out of her land to give her life. Life outside one's land is death, not life! What life is life if my land be not there?! She also says that they "nourished" her body with kisses. How can this be done? Of course she is sarcastic.
And they took her out of her land to give her life!
The choice of some words is also significant. "Opium-like food" shows that they try to put drugs with food; they try to... to make her addicted... to give her drugs to be dizzy and easily controlled! When she says that they framed her body with their hands, she refers to her body as a small representation of her "land"; they will frame each citizen till they frame the whole land.
And they took her out of her land to give her life!
Now, I think this is enough for the moment :). I will tell you who the person in my avatar is when you reply me and tell me your opinion. You know what? This delay has only one advantage: when I reply now, your topic will be on the top of the list, and more members will read it ;).
You didn't even say what you think of my lines of verse to "soften your heart". Didn't you like them?
I have finished, and I will wait;
I will wait for a reply that is great.
Your poem is always present in my mind,
With your refrains of "blind! blind! blind!"
So, till you reply me and write again,
Farwell now, and see you then!
