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

[C. G. Estabrook]

We would need permission from the copyright holder.  Maybe it would be best to 
get in touch with Shihab Nye first.  --CGE


Karen Medina wrote:
> 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.
> 	
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