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Friday 1 July 2016

BBQ in Ulan Bator (Jalal al-Din Rumi: whatever was said to the inhabitants of the town of Chigil in Turkestan)

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a church silhouetted below a belt of the Milky Way at the Hungarian-Slovakian border village Gemersky Jablonec, or Gomoralmagy in Hungarian, in southern Slovakia, 29 June 2016.  EPA/PETER KOMKA HUNGARY OUT

The Milky Way in the night sky, at the Hungarian-Slovakian border, near the village of Gemersky Jablonec, or Gomoralmagy in Hungarian: photo by Peter Kompka/EPA, 30 June 2016

a church silhouetted below a belt of the Milky Way at the Hungarian-Slovakian border village Gemersky Jablonec, or Gomoralmagy in Hungarian, in southern Slovakia, 29 June 2016.  EPA/PETER KOMKA HUNGARY OUT

The Milky Way in the night sky, at the Hungarian-Slovakian border, near the village of Gemersky Jablonec, or Gomoralmagy in Hungarian: photo by Peter Kompka/EPA, 30 June 2016

Jalal al-Din Rumi: What Was Told, That

What was said to the rose that made it open was said
to me here in my chest. 

What was told the cypress that made it strong
and straight, what was

whispered the jasmine so it is what it is, whatever made
sugarcane sweet, whatever

was said to the inhabitants of the town of Chigil in
Turkestan that makes them

so handsome, whatever lets the pomegranate flower blush
like a human face, that is

being said to me now. I blush. Whatever put eloquence in
language, that’s happening here.

The great warehouse doors open; I fill with gratitude,
chewing a piece of sugarcane, 

in love with the one to whom every that belongs!

Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273) : What Was Told, That, translated from the Persian by Coleman Barks in The Soul of Rumi: A New Collection of Ecstatic Poems, 2002

 
#RumiWasntWhite... he also wasn't Iranian or Turkish, says Kabul in UNESCO row by @achaon: image by AFP Islamabad/Kabul @AFPAfPAK, 30 June 2016 


 

#RumiWasntWhite: Outrage over Hollywood Choice to Play Persian Poet: image via Voice of America Verified account @VOA News, 30 June 2016

leonardo-dicaprio.jpg
 

Lenny as a 13th century Persian poet? Hang on a second! There's one major problem with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Rumi: Rumi was not white: image via The Independent @independent, 30 June 2016


 Taliban attack police cadets in Kabul, killing 30. Policemen search the wreckage of a bus.: image via: image by AFP Islamabad/Kabul @AFPAfPAK, 30 June 2016  


At least 27 killed, 40 wounded in Taliban attack on police buses. Security personnel gather.: image via: image by AFP Islamabad/Kabul @AFPAfPAK, 30 June 2016
 

This is how Peace Dove is in @Afghanistan. Kabul bled and everyone else mourned. #EnoughTerrorism #Kabulbleeds: image via Malali Bashir @ Malali Bashir, 30 June 2016
 
Wreckage of a minibus ripped apart by a landmine just outside Somalia's capital Mogadishu
 
Wreckage of a minibus ripped apart by a landmine just outside Somalia’s capital Mogadishu: photo by Mohammed Abiwah/AFP, 30 June 2016 

Wreckage of a minibus ripped apart by a landmine just outside Somalia's capital Mogadishu

Wreckage of a minibus ripped apart by a landmine just outside Somalia’s capital Mogadishu: photo by Mohammed Abiwah/AFP, 30 June 2016

 whatever was said to the inhabitants of the town of Chigil in Turkestan


  
 TURKEY - Women pray during the funerals two days after airport suicide attack in Istanbul. By @ozannkosee: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 30 June 2016
 

Today in Istanbul, the Amiri family buried four of its members, including 9-yr-old Huda. All killed at the airport.: image via Katy Lee @kjalee, 26 June 2016

Friends and relatives of Habibullah Sefer, who was killed in Tuesday's attack at Istanbul airport, carry his flag-draped coffin during his funeral ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey

Friends and relatives of Habibullah Sefer, who was killed in Tuesday’s attack at Istanbul airport, carry his flag-draped coffin during his funeral ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey: photo by Osman Orsal/Reuters, 30 June 2016

Friends and relatives of Habibullah Sefer, who was killed in Tuesday's attack at Istanbul airport, carry his flag-draped coffin during his funeral ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey

Friends and relatives of Habibullah Sefer, who was killed in Tuesday’s attack at Istanbul airport, carry his flag-draped coffin during his funeral ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey: photo by Osman Orsal/Reuters, 30 June 2016

 
Dong Energy, the Danish utility company, is valued at about $15 billion and is the largest public offering this year by far: photo by Jeppe Bjoern Veljoe/European Pressphoto Agency, 30 June 2016 



Dong Energy, the Danish utility company, is valued at about $15 billion and is the largest public offering this year by far: photo by Jeppe Bjoern Veljoe/European Pressphoto Agency, 30 June 2016


Passengers embrace each other as they wait outside Istanbul's Ataturk airport early on June 29 following their evacuation after a bombing. Suspected Islamic State group extremists have hit the international terminal of Istanbul's Ataturk airport, killing dozens of people and wounding many others, Turkish officials said Tuesday. Turkish authorities have banned distribution of images relating to the Ataturk airport attack within Turkey.: photo by Emrah Gurel/Associated Press, 29 June 2016


A relative of the Ataturk Airport suicide bomb attack victim waits dejectedly outside Bakirkoy Sadi Konuk Hospital, in the early hours of June 29. Three suicide bombers opened fire before blowing themselves up at the entrance to the main international airport in Istanbul.: photo by Defne Karadeniz, 29 June 2016


Forensic police work the explosion site at Ataturk airport on June 28 in Istanbul after two explosions followed by gunfire hit Turkey's biggest airport, killing at least 40 people and injuring many more.: photo by Ozan Kose/AFP, 28 June 2016


Passengers leave Istanbul Ataturk, Turkey's largest airport, after a suicide bomb attack in the early hours of June 29: photo by Defne Karadeniz, 29 June 2016


A man looks at the damaged explosions site in Ataturk airport's international arrivals terminal on June 29 a day after a suicide bombing and gun attack targeted Istanbul's airport, killing at least 40 people.: photo by Ozan Kose/AFP, 29 June 2016


Reflections are cast on the glass where bullet holes remain at Turkey's largest airport, Istanbul Ataturk, Turkey, on June 29.: photo by Defne Karadeniz, 29 June 2016


A worker wipes traces of blood from the wall of Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on June 29: photo by Omer Kuscu/Associated Press, 29 June 2016


A relative of Umut Sakaroglu, a custom officer at Ataturk Airport who was killed in the attacks on June 28, mourns during a funeral in Istanbul: photo by Sedat Suna/EPA, 29 June 2016 
 
 
Palestinian children play in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip: photo by Mohammed Saber/European Pressphoto Agency, 30 June 2016


  
Palestinian children play in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip: photo by Mohammed Saber/European Pressphoto Agency, 30 June 2016


Syrian refugees gathering for water last week at the Rukban refugee camp near Jordan’s northeastern border with Syria
: photo by Associated Press, 30 June 2016 


 

Syrian refugees gathering for water last week at the Rukban refugee camp near Jordan’s northeastern border with Syria: photo by Associated Press, 30 June 2016


Sacrilege: trade in wild baby elephants, often after mothers killed, fed by Sri Lanka elite: image via AFP news agency @AFP, 30 June 2016


GAZA STRIP - Palestinians wait for a travel permit to cross into Egypt through the Rafah border. By @saidkhatib @AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 30 June 2016 

BBQ in Ulan Bator 



World in focus – best photos for June 30, 2016

Children play football in the Villa Maria del Triunfo district on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. Villa Maria del Triunfo sprang up around Lima as people fled the countryside amid the brutal war with Shining Path and Tupac Amaru guerrillas during the 1980’s.
: photo by Rodrigo Abd / AP, 30 June 2016



Women comprise 4 of the 10 member team from Pakistani university NUST which has qualified for the RoboCup @AFPAfPAK: image via Issam Ahmed @IssamAhmed, 27 June 2016

World in focus – best photos for June 30, 2016

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Hicks reacts after being unable to catch Adrian Beltre’s sixth-inning solo home run in a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in New York
: photo by Kathy Willen / AP, 30 June 2016 


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Poland supporters on the stands wait for the start of the Euro 2016 quarter-final between Poland and Portugal at the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille:
photo by Thanassis Stavrakis / AP, 30 June 2016


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Portugal fans cheer as they wait for the start of the Euro 2016 quarter-final match between Poland and Portugal:
photo by Frank Augstein / AP, 30 June 2016 


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo gestures to the supporters during the warm-up: photo by Thanassis Stavrakis / AP, 30 June 2016 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Robert Lewandowski, right, scores Poland’s first goal:
photo by Frank Augstein / AP, 30 June 2016


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal:
photo by Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP, 30 June 2016


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches scores the equalising goal:
photo by Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters, 30 June 2016


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Renato Sanches, right, celebrates after scoring the equalising goal:
photo by Martin Meissner / AP, 30 June 2016 


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Cristiano Ronaldo, left, takes a shot at goal during extra time:
photo by Francisco Leong / AFP, 30 June 2016


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Poland midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski misses his penalty in the shootout:
photo by Peter Powell / EPA, 30 June 2016


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Portugal forward Ricardo Quaresma scores the winning penalty:
photo by Bertrand Langlois / AFP, 30 June 2016


Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal into Euro 2016 semi-finals after penalty shootout – in pictures

Portugal players celebrate after winning the penalty shootout:
photo by. Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP, 30 June 2016


A poppy field near York as the UK and France prepare to commemorate the Battle of the Somme. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday June 30, 2016.  The Queen and senior royals will lead the nation in remembrance to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. Events across the UK and in France will commemorate the start of the battle on July 1 1916, a day that became the bloodiest in British military history with almost 20,000 dead. See PA story HERITAGE Somme. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

A poppy field near York as the UK and France prepare to commemorate the Battle of the Somme: photo by Danny Lawson/PA, 30 June 2016

A poppy field near York as the UK and France prepare to commemorate the Battle of the Somme. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday June 30, 2016.  The Queen and senior royals will lead the nation in remembrance to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. Events across the UK and in France will commemorate the start of the battle on July 1 1916, a day that became the bloodiest in British military history with almost 20,000 dead. See PA story HERITAGE Somme. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

A poppy field near York as the UK and France prepare to commemorate the Battle of the Somme: photo by Danny Lawson/PA, 30 June 2016

This picture taken on June 29, 2016 shows workers cleaning algae on a beach in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province

  Workers cleaning algae on a beach in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province: photo via FT Photo Diary. 30 June 2016

This picture taken on June 29, 2016 shows workers cleaning algae on a beach in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province
  
Workers cleaning algae on a beach in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province: photo via FT Photo Diary. 30 June 2016

Canyonlands at Night | by jpaulus

canyonlands at night, Standing on the edge of an outer canyon (and of the island in the Sky) looking south from the inner canyons that lead up to the Colorado River, all not far upstream from the Grand Canyon (San Juan, Utah): photo by jpauus, 27 June 2016

Shelter L | by efo

Shelter L. Air Raid shelters, Mare Island (Vallejo, California): photo by efo, 26 June 2016

High Tatras | by Juro Kovacik

High Tatras, Slovakia, seen from Krivan Mount: photo by Juraj Kovacik, 22 September 2009

High Tatras | by Juro Kovacik

High Tatras, Slovakia, seen from Krivan Mount: photo by Juraj Kovacik, 22 September 2009

High Tatras | by Juro Kovacik

High Tatras, Slovakia, seen from Krivan Mount: photo by Juraj Kovacik, 22 September 2009

What was said to the rose that made it open was said to me here in my chest in Ulan Bator



MONGOLIA - A man works at a BBQ in the suburbs of Ulan Bator. By @johaynz: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 30 June 2016

3 comments:

Sandra said...

Lo que se le dijo a la rosa que la hizo abrirse fue dicho
aquí en mi pecho

Lo que se le dijo al ciprés que lo hizo fuerte
y recto, lo que

fue susurrado al jazmín para que sea lo que es, lo que sea que hizo
a la caña de azúcar dulce, lo que sea

que fue dicho a los habitantes de la ciudad de Chigil en
Turkestán que los hace

tan buenos mozos , lo que sea que hace sonrojar la flor de la granada
como una faz humana , eso está

siendo dicho a mí ahora. Me sonrojo. Lo que sea que puso elocuencia
en el lenguaje, eso está sucediendo aquí.

Las grandes puertas de la bodega se abren; me lleno de gratitud,
masticando un pedazo de caña de azúcar,

Enamorada de ese a quién todo eso pertenece

(I hope I got it...)

tpw said...

Wonderful poem. Pre-Gerard Manley Hopkins.

TC said...

Sandra and Terry,

Many many thank-yous for inspiring responses, both.

I'm sure you'll agree it's truly wonderful to see Hollywood expunging its own past with the farthinking new diversity casting campaign of which Lenny as Rumi is only the latest shining example. As everyone now gratefully acknowledges, achieving and maintaining global social justice (and NOT accumulating whoppaloza box-office numbers!) were always the movie industry's deepest motives.

(By the by, we can be certain the Rumi biopic will be assiduously loyal to history in every detail, because the script was produced by the same impeccable scholar who gave us Gladiator.)