[Peace-discuss] Naomi Shihab Nye's poem for the buses?

[Karen Medina]

Peace Discuss,

A year or so ago, a group in Richmond Virginia put signs on the buses that were in Arabic (with English translation) and at the bottom they said "Misunderstanding can make anything scary".

We would like to do something similar here in Champaign-Urbana. Instead of the the messages Richmond saw ("I'm a little teapot", "Paper or plastic?", and "Rock, paper, scissors") we would like to put up poetry. 

Below is a poem we are considering:

[From the book "19 Varieties of Gazelle"]
by Naomi Shihab Nye

The Arabs used to say,
When a stranger appears at your door,
feed him for three days
before asking who he is,
where he's come from,
where he's headed.
That way, he'll have strength
enough to answer.
Or, by then you'll be
such good friends
you don't care.

[We may just put up the first verse, but the poem does go on to say:]
Let's go back to that.
Rice? Pine Nuts?
Here, take the red brocade pillow.
My child will serve water
to your horse.

No, I was not busy when you came!
I was not preparing to be busy.
That's the armor everyone put on
to pretend they had a purpose
in the world.

I refuse to be claimed.
Your plate is waiting.
We will snip fresh mint
into your tea.