06-07-2025
An Analysis of the Poem (The Divine Transgressions) by Tunisian Poet Dunya Al-Zarli
The Divine Transgressions
We gather in misguided piety upon the bed,
As letters ignite in the trunk of a tree.
I shall begin to spill the ink of desire
Upon the pristine canvas of pleasure.
Pleasure, a stage with neither end nor beginning,
Language circles it, reverent,
Before two quenchless longings.
It transforms me into an apple,
With a taste both rich and divine,
An apple consumed without end,
Until the body is cleansed
Of tiny sins
That gather between two kisses.
I search for a fissure in memory,
To seep through
And carry the world's funeral.
I hasten my steps to my own body,
Where poetry stands naked, save for the sins I cherish.
It salutes beauty,
Praying in unison with Tagore and Lorca,
Glorifying with pomegranate seeds at the throat's edge.
Questions cloud the air,
And the apple rolls
From Newton's notion of Earth,
Seeking the twenty-ninth letter,
Ignored by poets.
My fingers tear the veil of lost whiteness
On the bed of forgetfulness.
My palm is an open world,
While all around me is tightly sealed.
Only the gasp of longing
Slowly opens me.
Language overflows, and a lover appears,
Piercing my bewildered desire like a first kiss,
My desire sparkling like my first joy,
My desire ablaze like my first gasp,
And a bitter cry strikes the ceiling of my solitude,
And I see
My desire shattered like my final disappointment.
Shall I speak of the ash's taste in my throat?
Shall I describe the anguish of departure in my hand?
I spin in place like an orphaned child,
Like a sorrowful truth,
Like an illusion devoid of certainty.
I search for myself and find nothing,
And fall upon soft ground,
Where the void consumes me.
Where is hope?
Where is the path that leads to the path?
Where is the earth that draws me closer to the sky?
Where is the language that bestows meaning?
Where is the meaning that arranges the cosmos?
I gaze at the final drop in the glass
And hear the majestic silence enveloping the space.
I hear the exquisite stillness stretching through time,
I hear my heart beating within the poem.
In a moment of loss.
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After reading the poem 'The Divine Transgressions', I felt as if I were navigating the depths of a rich and complex human experience. The poetess offers a profound vision of desire, loss, and the search for meaning.
Al-Zarli begins by transporting us to a state of misguided piety, where religion and desire converge in a contradictory tableau. This phrase raises questions about how one grapples with their spiritual and physical yearnings. The imagery she conjures reflects the ongoing struggle many endure—an essential part of the human experience.
When she speaks of pleasure, she writes:
(Pleasure is a platform with neither end nor beginning.)
Here, the poetess reflects how pleasure is not merely a fleeting moment but rather a continuous state intertwined with our existence. This compels me to ponder the meaning of pleasure in our lives and how it can be both exhilarating and exhausting.
She then delves into the theme of nostalgia, conveying a deep sense of loss through the image:
(I spin in place like an orphaned child.)
This expression is incredibly powerful; it articulates the solitude and isolation one can experience even amidst the bustle of life. It is painful to feel that we exist in a world full of people yet struggle to find someone who understands us.
At the poem's conclusion, the poetess poses existential questions that resonate deeply:
(Where is hope? Where is the path that leads to the path?)
Dunya Al-Zarli succeeds in merging profound emotions with inquiries about life and existence. Her poem 'The Divine Transgressions' encapsulates a perpetual search for meaning in a world rife with contradictions. Through her expressions of desire, nostalgia, and solitude, she invites readers to connect with her experience across time.
In summary, Al-Zarli's work challenges us to explore our own complexities, urging us to reflect on the intricate tapestry of human emotions and the quest for understanding in an often perplexing world.
