Middle East and Southwest Asia Languages Poetry from Year of The Poet (Vol 68)
Featured in The Year of the Poet August, 2019 Volume 68.
Stolen Peace Offering
There is a word in Balochi
spoken in Iran and Pakistan
makes me wonder what is mine
what is stolen
what kind of peace is sustained by an offering
“Muhnt” means a share
not all — only
a share of stolen property
restored to the owner
as a peace offering
And I wonder how often I am guilty
taking something
using it as if it is mine
not feeling enough
to give back a share
Of this earth I sense
do I take too much
give back enough
and when I do is it “muhnt”
Altic Roots of Sleeping Peaceful In Clean Air
Peace is a variation on “am”
to be quiet or sleep
in Tungus-Manchu
Mongolian and Turkic
In Proto Mongolian “amu” or “ami” takes on
rest peace and quiet
the Russian “мир” or “mir” means peace
but loses sleep
Descending from there
“amuxulaŋ” and “amara”
Mongolian peace
but also breathe easy
as if peace puts more oxygen into the air
In Kalmuck “amɣūləŋ” also breathe
and in Mogol “amūdu’i” is alive
as if deep sleep
gentle peace and clean air
are the stuff bringing us alive
Turkish Namaste
“Namaste” is peace
in Southern Zazaki spoken in Turkey
highlighting the people’s Sanskrit roots
“Silam” similar to the Hebrew
“shalom” or Arabic “salam”
also means peace to these people of Turkey
an acknowledgement of Semitic influences
“Namaste” symbolic of green
spinning heart chakras
a divine light within the place
we can connect in peace with each other
I greet that place within you
which is love light and life
when I am in place and you are
we are not separate
I honor the place in you
where the entire universe resides
within me we are one
united
Originally published in The Year of The Poet (Vol 68) at http://www.innerchildpress.com/the-year-of-the-poet.php on August 1, 2019.
