Adeeb Kamal Ad-deen / Australia

* Thur. 02 / 01 / 2007

 An Attempt at Hamlet

 * Pearl Tree 3

Other

Biography

 

Adeeb Kamal Ad-Deen

Born in Iraq in 1953,  a poet and translator who has degrees in Economics and English Literature from the University of Baghdad plus a Diploma of Interpreting (Arabic-English) from Adelaide Institute of TAFE, South Australia. He has published eight poetry collections and won the major prize of Iraqi poetry in 1999. As well, his poetry has been reviewed by more than 60 Iraqi and Arabic critics and writers and translated into many languages. He has translated into Arabic short stories and poems from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, China and the USA.
Adeeb Kamal Ad-Deen now lives in Australia as an Australian citizen and was a special guest at Friendly Street Poets in Adelaide in 2004. Some of his featured poems have been published in many Australian websites, magazines and books such as: "Southerly", "Another Country" (ed. by Rosie Scott and Thomas Kenneally) and "Friendly Street Poets: Thirty" (ed. by Rob Walker and Louise Nicholas) in 2006
 

  
 

 

(1)


Ophelia!
O, a cloud of innocence,
Tell me, how did the whole world
Accumulate in your body,
Then get lost in water?
Tell me; how was my father murdered?
How did my mother release the snake
At my childhood’s birds?
How did the ghost lead me
To the ghost?
And death to the flood?


(2)


Ophelia !
Your moony body is my age’s elegy.
Thus, let me, like an orphan child
Whose feast garment stolen,
Cry at you.
Let me explore your fresh body
To know the secret of madness and delirium.
Let me explore your forehead
To know the secret of rain.
Let me explore your fingers.
To know the secret of joy
Let me explore your slim belly
To know the secret of childhood
And assurance.


(3)


Ophelia!
Your mythical beauty tortured me everyday.
Until it led me
To the exiles of words.
Your saliva delighted me
As a magician who gets delighted
With the thunderbolt.
Thus, hug me
Before the last drop of my blood
Will pass away like you.
Hug me,
Before the water eats me.


(4)


Ophelia extended her hands to me
But once I kissed her luxuriant fingers,
Then they turned to daggers and insults.
Once I kissed her charming breast
Then the devils and elves came out
And surrounded me all around.
Once I kissed her lips,
Then the snake appeared to me
And made me drink the poison
In order to die forever.

******

 

  
 

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