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Ziad Suidan
Department of Comparative Literature
'She Said to Him (2008/2010) by Mahmoud Darwish (1942-
2008)

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1
This poem should be thought of in contrapuntal relationship to the ending section of Taha Muhammad Ali`s 'The
Hawk. As such I am thinking with and in response to Dr. Layoun`s implicit argument that the Palestinian
experience must be thought of in relation to each other in their fragmented and scattered condition, not to mention in
consideration to other stories of suffering that need to be thought distinctly but together, a truly metonymic
comparative act.
2
. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among
the many species.A common name Ior Ior some species is 'Ilags', while the plants oI the subgenus Scorpiris are
widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower.
Irises are perennial herbs, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises), or, in drier climates, from bulbs
(bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems, which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and
flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 310 basal, sword-shaped leaves
growing in dense clumps. The bulbous species have cylindrical, basal leaves.
The bearded irises are easy to cultivate and propagate, and have become very popular in gardens. They grow in any
good free garden soil, the smaller and more delicate species needing only the aid of turf ingredients, either peat or
loam, to keep it light and open in texture.

For orris root production, iris rhizomes are harvested, dried, and aged for up to 5 years. In this time, the fats and oils
inside the roots undergo degradation and oxidation, which produces many fragrant compounds that are valuable in
perfumery. The scent is said to be similar to violets. The aged rhizomes are steam-distilled which produces a thick
oily compound, known in the perfume industry as "iris butter".
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'She said to Him
Night is a historv of longing, and vou are mv night
you said to me, and while leavingft me
To me you left, yours and my nighty night to me, and yours, and both so cold
and I will be hurt by winter and memories of youWinter and your memories will hurt me
and you will be hurt by the scent of my lilies in the airAs the fresh air scented with my lilies will
hurt you
Too bad!Never mind!
I will love the first passer-by
crying over a woman who threw him into the dirt as out as you did me happened to you
We (the stranger and I) will care for for our night and light it up
We will furnish our little eternity. We will selectchoose
(the stranger and I) our bed and our feelings meticulouslywith care
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3
For some reason I am unable to place the parenthesis here or after the last word as they are in the poem.
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Perhaps we will read out loudcite together (the stranger and I)
the love poem you dedicated to me
Night is a historv of longing
and vou are mv night.