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 Transference
Volume 4
Article 7
Issue 1 | Fall 2016

2-3-2017

A Woman Moving Within Me by Nizar Qabbani

Houssem Ben Lazreg
University of Alberta, benlazre@ualberta.ca

Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/transference

Part of the Near Eastern Languages and Societies Commons, Poetry Commons, and the
Translation Studies Commons

Recommended Citation
Ben Lazreg, Houssem (2016) "A Woman Moving Within Me by Nizar Qabbani," Transference: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 7.
Available at: http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/transference/vol4/iss1/7
Houssem Ben Lazreg Nizar Qabbani
A Woman Moving Within Me
Anybody who has read my coffee cup
realizes you are my love
Anybody who has read the lines of my palm
discerns the four letters of your name,
everything can be denied
but the scent of a woman we love,
everything can be concealed
but the footsteps of a woman moving within us,
everything can be debated
except your femininity.

Where shall I hide you, my love ?

We are like two burning forests
and all the television cameras are on us
Where shall I hide you, my love
and all these journalists want to place you
on the cover page,
and make me a Greek hero,
a public scandal.

Where shall I take you?

Where shall you take me
when all the cafés have memorized our faces
and all the hotels registered our names
and all the sidewalks recollected the rhythms of our feet?
We are exposed to the world like a seaward balcony,
visible like two golden fish
in a crystal container.

Anybody who has read my poems about you

perceives the sources of my inspiration,
anybody who has travelled in my books

Fall 2016 17
arrives safe to the harbor of your eyes,
anybody who has got my home address
heads for your lips,
anybody who has opened my drawers
finds you sleeping there like a butterfly,
anybody who has dug up my papers,
knows the history of your life.

Teach me how
to confine you in the Taa Marbuta
and prevent you from coming out,
teach me how to trace around your breasts
a circle in purple crayon
and prevent it from flying,
teach me how to detain you like a full stop at the end of a sentence,
teach me how to walk under the rain of your eyes without getting wet,
to smell your body seasoned with Indian spices without fainting
and to roll from the imposing heights of your breasts
without crumbling.

Keep your hands off my small habits

my tiny things
the pen that I use to write
the papers on which I scribble
the key chain that I carry
the coffee that I sip
the ties that I buy,
keep your hands off my writings
as it is unreasonable that I write with your fingers
and breathe with your lungs,
it is unreasonable that I laugh with your lips
and that you cry with my eyes.
Sit with me for a while

18 Transference
to reconsider the map of love that you drew
with the harshness of a mogul conqueror
and the selfishness of a woman telling a man
“Be.. and he is”
Talk to me democratically,
for the tribesmen in my country
have mastered the game of political repression
I do not want you to play
the game of emotional repression with me.

Sit down so that we can see

where the borders of your eyes lie,
where the limits of my sorrows are,
where do the waters of your territory begin,
and where does my life end?
Sit down so that we can agree
on which part of my body
your conquests will end
and when at night
your conquests will begin?

Sit with me for a while

so that we can agree on a way to love
where you are not my servant girl
and I am not just a small colony
on your list of colonies
that is still seeking — since the seventeenth century —
emancipation from your breasts,
which do not respond
do not respond.

Fall 2016 19
 Commentary
Nizar Qabbani (1923–1998) was one of the most famous Arab
poets of the 20th century. He was born in Damasacus in 1923
and spent a lifetime fighting for Arab women’s liberation and
empowerment through his writings. The themes in his poems
range from passionate and revolutionary verses about love, erot-
icism, and feminism to constant criticism of Arab leaders and
the conservative traditions of the patriarchal Arab society. Over
the course of half aOver century, the course NizarofQabbani half a century, wroteNizar 34 books Qabbani of wrote 34 book
verthe
entury,
er thecourse
course
Nizar poetry
of
ofQabbani
half half aincluding
century,
wrote
a century, Over34 the
Nizar Childhood
Nizar
books courseChildhood
Qabbani Qabbani
of of poetryhalfofofwrote
wrote aaincluding
a34 Breast 
Breast
century, 34 books
books ((   ,
‫ﻧﻬﮭﺪ‬poetry
Nizar
of ‫ﻁطﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬
ofQabbani
poetry1948), 
, 1948),
including Draw-
Drawing
including
wrote 34 books with Words of poetry (‫ﺕت‬
hildhood
‫ﻁطﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬,
ldhood
a aOver
century, 1948),
century, of of
the Nizar a a
Breast ing
Breast
Drawing
NizarQabbani
course (with
‫ﻧﻬﮭﺪ‬
Qabbani
of
Over (
half‫ﻧﻬﮭﺪ‬
with
‫ﻁطﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬ Words (    
‫ﻁطﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬
theawrote , Words
Childhood ,
1948),
wrote3434
century,
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of
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aQabbani ,,
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(
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Than
1966),
‫ﻧﻬﮭﺪ‬
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‫ﻁطﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬
including
wrote Love
No
(
including
Nizar , 34No (
1948),
‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕت‬
Qabbani ( Victor
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕت‬
‫ﺍاﻟﺮﺳﻢ‬
books wrote ‫ﺇإﻻ‬
Drawing
, ‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬
‫ﺍاﻟﺮﺳﻢ‬Other
1966),
of poetry , ‫ﻻ‬ ,
1966),
with
No
34 books Than
1989),
includingNo
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‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕت‬
of poetry includin (‫ﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ‬
‫ﺍاﻟﺮﺳﻢ‬ ,
ictor
tor
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
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(‫ﻧﻬﮭﺪ‬ ‫ﺇإﻻ‬
‫ﻁطﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬Other
Other ‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬
‫ﻁطﻔﻮﻟﺔ‬
Childhood , 1948), ‫ﻻ‬Than
, Than Love 
aLove
,of1989),
1948), Love
Drawing
Drawing
Breast
Childhood(     ,
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‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬(‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
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Victor
‫ﺇإﻻ‬with
with
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of a‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬
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‫ﺣﺒﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ(ﻻ‬,
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1989),
, 1989),
,Breast
1948), Stop
‫ﻻ‬,(‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕت‬
1989),
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‫ﻧﻬﮭﺪ‬ My at
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Beloved
‫ﺍاﻟﺮﺳﻢ‬ Beloved (  
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, Beloved
and
‫ﺍاﻟﺮﺳﻢ‬ Lights
,Love
(1948),
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
,with
1966), (‫ﺣﺒﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ‬,
1966),‫ﺇإﻻ‬
Words ‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬
No (
Drawing ‫ﺍاﻷﺣﻤﺮ‬
(‫ﺣﺒﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ‬,
Does No 1961), , 1961),
‫ﺍاﻟﻀﻮء‬
1961),
(‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕتﻻ‬
, 1989), and‫ﺍاﻟﺮﺳﻢ‬
with ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬
Love
Wordsand ‫ﻳﯾﻘﻒ‬
Love
Does
and, Beloved
My Love
1966), ‫ﻻ‬ ‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
Does
(‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕت‬ No , 1985).
(‫ﺣﺒﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ‬,
‫ﺍاﻟﺮﺳﻢ‬, 1961), He
1966), aN a
ot
‫ﺍاﻷﺣ‬(Stop
Stop
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
eVictor at
‫ﺍاﻟﻀﻮء‬
(‫ﺇإﻻ ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬‫ﺇإﻻ‬atRed
‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬
Other Red
‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ Lights
‫ﻳﯾﻘﻒ‬
‫ﻻ‬
‫ ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬Than Does
Lights
, ‫ﻻ‬
1989),
‫ﻻ‬, Victor ( Not
‫ﺍاﻷﺣﻤﺮ‬
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
1989), ( ‫ﺍاﻷﺣﻤﺮ‬
LoveOtherMy, Stop
‫ﺍاﻟﻀﻮء‬
Not
1985).
My ‫ﺍاﻟﻀﻮء‬
Stop
Beloved
(‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬Beloved
Than at
‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬He
‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ ﺇإﻻ‬ Red
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also ‫ﻻ‬
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(‫ﺣﺒﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ‬,
Love ‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
‫ﻻ‬of
Lights
composed
‫ﻻ‬, 1989), ,prose,
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
1961),
(‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬ 1985).
1961), (
‫ﺇإﻻ‬My ,
‫ﺍاﻷﺣﻤﺮ‬ such
(            ,
1985).
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and
‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬and He
Beloved as
also
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, 1989), My composed
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‫ﻳﯾﻘﻒ‬ ‫ﻻ‬withmany
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
1961),wrote
Beloved Poetry
,
and 1985),
many
1985).Love
(‫ﺣﺒﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ‬, ( ‫ﺍاﻟﺸﻌﺮ‬
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also
Does of
1961), ‫ﻗﺼﺘﻲ‬ ),
compos
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rks of prose, such as My Over
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‫ﺍاﻷﺣﻤﺮ‬
wrote
‫ﺍاﻟﺸﻌﺮ‬
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this
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
‫ﺍاﻟﻀﻮء‬
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34 ). books
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1985).
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,titled
of1948), He
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also
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composed
1985).
including
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‫ﺍاﻣﺮﺃأﺓة‬
also
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(“A Woman (‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕت‬Movin many
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1948),
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). ‫ﺗﻤﺸﻲ‬
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).
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Me”),
titled feelings
‫ﺍاﻟﺸﻌﺮ‬
(the
Moving ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎﺕت‬
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‫ﺍاﻟﻀﻮءﻋﻦ‬
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poet
().‫ﻓﻲ‬
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‫ ﻭو‬Within
1966),
Me”),
‫ﺍاﻣﺮﺃأﺓة‬
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(“A
‫ﻋﻦ‬ ).the
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the poet
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Within M
ther
resses Thanhis Love (‫ﺍاﻣﺮﺃأﺓة‬
‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬ ‫ﺇإﻻ‬love Not
‫ﻏﺎﻟﺐ‬ Stop
‫ﻻ‬passion
, 1989), at Red My Lights
Beloved ( ‫ﺍاﻷﺣﻤﺮ‬(‫ﺣﺒﻴﯿﺒﺘﻲ‬, 1961), ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫ﻳﯾﻘﻒ‬
and ‫ﻻ‬ ‫ﺍاﻟﺤﺐ‬
Love ,
Does 1985). He also compos
xpresses
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led and
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‫ﺗﻤﺸﻲ‬
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poem
of(“A
towards love
of
(“A
In
titled
and
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Woman
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this and
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expresses poem
‫ﺩدﺍاﺧﻠﻲ‬
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towards
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‫ﺗﻤﺸﻲ‬beloved
and
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( ‫ﻘ‬
the ‫ﺍاﻟﻤﺮﺑﻮﻁطﻪﮫ‬
‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾ‬
fact, theitthat ‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬
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verse ‫ﺍاﻟﺘﺎء‬
)
“Teach ‫ﻓﻲ‬
contains
“Teach ‫ﺑﻬﮭﺎ‬ ‫ﺃأﺣﺒﺴﻚ‬
Marbuta”
me me aa way
a way‫ﺔ‬
reference‫ﻘ‬ ‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾ‬
( Arabic ‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬
‫ﺍاﻟﻤﺮﺑﻮﻁطﻪﮫ‬
to lock
tothelockto alphabet
)
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‫ﺍاﻟﺘﺎء‬
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‫ﻓﻲ‬
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‫ﺑﻬﮭﺎ‬
in a
‫ﺃأﺣﺒﺴﻚ‬
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reference
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Taa ‫ﺔ‬ ً
the
‫ﻘ‬ as
‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾ‬ an toindicator
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contains of the a feminine
of the
reference gender.
to the TIc
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abic
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to acts
palm English.
translating
these of
as
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are
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English.
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linked this
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feminine
ofthe coffee
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the me
gender.
and way
reading
culture ItTaa
I bring“Teach tospelled
issuch lock
the toas me you
light
fate aline
this
reading
up
wayaway into‫ﺓة‬.the
central
on the
lock
the Taa
palm youof upa in
hand.
srabic
an
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‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾﺔ(ﻘًﺔﺃأﺣﺒﺴﻚ‬
alphabet
‫ﺑﻬﮭﺎﺑﻬﮭﺎ‬indicator
‫ﺃأﺣﺒﺴﻚ‬ ً‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾﻘ‬
ofthat
‫ﺍاﻟﻤﺮﺑﻮﻁطﻪﮫ‬ the
‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬
poetic acts
‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬
Marbuta”feminine
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‫ﺍاﻟﺘﺎء‬ as
)contains an
Arabic
contains
‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺑﻬﮭﺎ‬ indicator
gender.
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(‫ﺍاﻟﻤﺮﺑﻮﻁطﻪﮫ‬
that aalphabet
areference
poses Itof‫ﻓﻲ‬
ً‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾﻘ‬
reference
‫ﺍاﻟﺘﺎءﺔ‬ the
issome spelled
that
‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬toto
‫ﺑﻬﮭﺎ‬ feminine
acts
one
)one
‫ﺃأﺣﺒﺴﻚ‬containsthis
challenges ً‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾﻘ‬
character gender.
anway
as‫ﺔ‬character ‫ﺓة‬.while
indicator ofof)the
a reference
‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬ Itcontains
theisof spelled
the
toimage one this
feminine character
a reference way ‫ﺓة‬.toofone
gender. It characte
the is spelle
snArabic
cts aascup
as of
ananindicator coffee
indicator ofand
ofthe reading
the
commentary,
feminine
feminine thegender. fate
gender.
I bring
line It on
Itis is
to
the
spelled
spelled
light
palm aofcentral
this
this away
way hand. ‫ﺓة‬.
poetic
‫ﺓة‬. Intranslating
this thatit posesto some challen
alphabetArabic that acts asfact,
alphabet an indicatorthatitverse acts of the
as“Teach feminine
an indicator gender.
of the toIt“Teach
feminine is spelled gender. this Itway ‫ﺓة‬.lock you
istospelled thisupw
tary, I bring toEnglish. light a central In
translating poetic the imageto English. that poses me
In fact, some athe way verse
challenges lock while you meup a way in
ng it to English. the In Taafact,Marbuta” Marbuta”
the verse “Teach (           
(‫ﺍاﻟﻤﺮﺑﻮﻁطﻪﮫ‬ me‫ﺍاﻟﺘﺎء‬ a way ‫ﺑﻬﮭﺎ ﻓﻲ‬ to‫ﺃأﺣﺒﺴﻚ‬
lock you ‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾﻘًﺔ‬up‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬ in the )) contains
contains
Taa a areference to one c
” (‫ ﺍاﻟﺘﺎء ﺍاﻟﻤﺮﺑﻮﻁطﻪﮫ‬reference ‫ﺃأﺣﺒﺴﻚ ﺑﻬﮭﺎ ﻓﻲ‬Arabic to one‫ﻋﻠﻤﻴﯿﻨﻲ‬
‫ﻁطﺮﻳﯾﻘًﺔ‬ character
alphabet ) contains thatofacts athe asArabic
reference an indicator toalphabet
one of thethat
character feminine acts
of theas gender. It is spelle
an indicator of
lphabet that acts as an indicator of the feminine gender. It is spelled this the feminine gender. It is spelled this way .
‫ﺓة‬. The
uniqueness of the meaning of this metaphor lies in the fact that
the poet wants to lock his beloved in this letter which is not only
the indicator of the feminine gender in Arabic but also has the
shape of a closed circle, from which escape is difficult. Since
finding an equivalent metaphor in English seems challenging,
I resorted to foreignization as a translation strategy and I kept
the expression in Arabic.
In addition to that, on the stylistic level, the poet used
a sensual language whereby he evoked repetitively the beauty
of a woman though her body or at least some parts of it such

20 Transference
 as the breasts and the lips. For instance, “roll from the impos-
ing heights of your breasts,” “Teach me how to trace around
your breasts,” or “seeking emancipation from your breasts.” For
Nizar Qabbani, the female breasts became a space for revolu-
tion, emancipation and a weapon to challenge old conventional
social norms. In other words, he tried to subvert the prevailing
status quo of sexual politics in the Arab World which is tainted
by “political and emotional repression.” To conclude, Qabbani’s
poetry exhibits a great sense of enthusiasm for the construction
of new gender relations based on freedom, equality, dignity,
and beauty.

Fall 2016 21

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