Did Lama Alhassanieh eat the Apple of Poetry, or she handed it to Eve?

In her newly signed poem collection “Eves’ Apples” the Syrian poetess Lama Alhassanieh leaves us with as many questions as we entered the paradise of her imaginative realm of words, images, and eloquence. Her “lost paradise” is bursting with figurative language embedding topics of love, separation, nation, and nature.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, Nan Robertson, said once “Ever since Eve gave Adam the apple, there has been a misunderstanding between the sexes about gifts.” However what Alhassanieh offered in “Apples’ Eves” suits both sexes, no misunderstanding. 

Alhassanieh describes her experience in writing Apples’ Eves: “It surely has been a great experience to get through, nonetheless it certainly do not lift up to (Eve and the Apple) experience; which Scottish playwright, James Brady, called “the first great step in experimental science.”

“However, the collection carried a big amount of passion, we are not born in need of knowledge, but rather we live yearning it, deeply desiring to get answers. Since Eve bit the apple, passion accompanied our lives.” She exclaimed eagerly.

The Arabic Cultural Center, Abu Romana, hosted a poetical evening, with the participation of three renowned personalities in the world of poetry in Syria, to discuss Lama Alhassanieh “Eves’ Apples” and ended with the book signing: Dr. Rateeb Sukar, who holds a PhD in comparative literature at Damascus University and well-known poet, moderated the session. He initiated the debate by an introduction about the other two interlocutors: Dr. Oussama Hammoud, a member of Arab Writers Union holing a PhD in Agriculture engineering, as well as a prominent poet; and Mr. Qahtan Biarakdar, director of children publication at the Book’s Syrian Commission and editor in chief of Oussama Magazine.

Dr. Sukar explained to Syriatimes: “the poem collection took us from the first poem, even the first lines towards unpredictable paths, in the first stanza she says:

                                      “My gift to you … Is a tiny hell

Only fitting … our two burning hearts”

Dr. Sukar carries on: “Whenever someone, particularly your lover says to you “My gift to you”…you will immediately think of roses, wine, or candles, but what will never pass through you mind that this gift might be a “tiny hell” …” he exclaimed in astonishment.

Whereas Dr. Oussama Hammoud initiated his intervention with a reference to Suzanne Bernard (1932 – 2007), a French critic, who pioneered the formulation and justification of the term “prose poem” in modern literature. Suzanne Bernard had identified for this poetic form with three characteristics that all Arab researchers later on adopted: Organic unity, gratuitousness, and consistency. This new form departs from prose and poetic characteristic lying in its intensity and radiance.

Sections of Bernard’s book The Prose Poem: From Baudelaire to Our Days, were translated into Arabic, initially influencing poetry of Onsi al-Hajj and Adonis, then soon after the writing of Arabic prose poem spread. Onsi al-Hajj, a significant voice in Arabic prose poetry, said about general characteristics of this literary genre: “For a poem to be a prose poem, there are three conditions: conciseness, brilliance, and gratuitousness.”

Dr Hammoud carries on “Those who outshined in producing such poetry are few, because it requires distinctive technique, style, and language. Prose poetry has its own rhythm and internal music, which depends on the words and their sequence, the images and their integration.” However, he stressed that Alhassanieh from the very first moment; precisely in the book dedication: “This poetess captures your attention from the opening page, taking you into her imaginative oddness and diversity, in an indirect invitation to think and reflect on its unusual, veiled meanings hidden between ordinary words. For instance, when she initiates her book dedication with:

To the slash (/), which separates us from our male peers and tells us from our first auspicious moments on this planet;

Despite all the felicitations of the well-wishers at the wedding “Well-being to newly married and lots of Boys” that tried to smooth out that line (-) it remains in italics.

Whereas, the eminent Syrian poet, Qahtan Biarakdar expressed his appreciation of this “glowing and spirited” poem collection as he put it. He explained “this collection is very near to the heart, raising fundamental questions. It contains most of the elements making prose poems eloquent, intense and momentous.  Despite all the descriptions that critics tried to put to precisely define prose poetry, “Apples’ Eves” makes the addressee feel that he is in front of texts deserving attentive interpretation. This collection is an authentic writing emanating from a sincere heart expressing detailed emotional status whatever topic the poem is dealing with, especially love theme which predominates this poem collection and is interpreted in its best manifestations. Mr. Biarakdar ended his intervention with this impressive expression: “We are in front of such an ecstatic poem collection that makes us aspire to be in the place of the writer who is taking us towards her innermost worlds.”

Whereas the poetess Lama Alhassanieh declared to Syriatimes: “Most of the collection poems allude to the dialectical relationship between the Trinity of Creation (Adam / Eve / the apple), and the eternal story of the pulse of life (Love). There are also scattered poems about my wounded country, Syria, such as the poem entitled “Oh my God”. And a long poem entitled The Dance of Ilham, which means inspiration in Arabic and is as well the name of my mother. This poemtalks about the mechanisms of creative writing before actual writing embodiment, because poetry lives in us and with us wherever our rides go.”

When asked about her closest poem to the heart in the collection, she declares: “All are my little babies, however some are highly eloquent like a poem entitled “Between Two facing Mountains” because it enjoys a dramatic escalation from within the poem structure that embodies the innate human (male/female) relationship with nature.”

It is noteworthy to know that Lama Alhassanieh is a journalist, lecturer, translator, photographer and poetess; with a MA from the Higher Institute of Translation and Interpretation (HITI), Damascus University. Her extensive work experience ranges from the fields of lecturing, translating, interpreting, proofreading, and journalistic charges. She has held 3 solo photography exhibitions in War Times in Syria. Her poetry collection entitled “Eves’ Apples”, has been published at the Egyptian Book Commission in September 2021. With high academic qualifications, fluency in three Languages, primary education in France and 12 years of ELF tertiary teaching and 8 years in journalistic work and translation, Alhassanieh is entering the world of creative writing in steady paces.

Concerning the effects of her former journalistic experience in her writing poetry, Alhassanieh explained: “Any previous experience marks our writing particularly poetry because it is very sensitive delicate literary genre that got affected by the poet’s state of mind and emotional status. Being a journalist gave me the opportunity to get in touch with many writers in book signing or interviews with them, reading their books and getting introduced to their writing routines and methods; which surely impacted my writing.”

Poetry is sometimes referred to as “the language of the Arabs.” As an oral tradition, poetry predates Islam itself. The ode, the signature poem of the Arab world, has influenced many global literary traditions. It is both a cornerstone of Arab poetry and an icon of passionate, emotional expression. The earliest Arab societies used poetry to express beauty, divinity, and impressions of faith, love, anger. Poets were revered members of society, conveying their stories and lessons through musical language…

And are still making a highly sensitive part of the community especially in war times, where all the senses and emotions are highly intensified. This poetess and her poem collection are an eyewitness on the human capacity to exchange awfulness into beauty.  A beauty we wanted our readers to feel so we are hereinafter introducing one of Lama Alhassanieh poems translated by herself:

I was dreaming of becoming your Shadow

The utmost wishes of shadows are embracing their companions

I was dreamingof becoming your shadow

 

A shadow following you, lightly as a guardian angel

A shadow prolonging infinitely over your soul

Gathering the tails of disappointment behind you

 

A shadow it utmost desire

That sun reaches midday

To recede near your heels

 

Where if you turn around,

To protect yourself from sunlight

I am a shadow whose only wish is

To withstand your sparkling eyes

Instead of diminishing behind you

 

No greed in their impossible meeting

But fearing they touch the light

As I am stuck in the dark

 

Hence, I refract

And you will no longer have a shadow…. holding you up

 

 

 Interview & Report: Nada Haj Khidr