Michael Karam
on translating Mahmoud Darwish
I chose to translate this piece because the Arabic’s softness in the poem is akin to a Mother’s Day recital. I tried my best to maintain that softness. It’s a passionate love story from a son to his mother that plays on repeated structures in phrasing, another element I did my best to maintain. Overall, I maintained the musicality but also translated some phrases to a more interpreted translation that serves the same purpose.
about the author
Born in Western Galilee, Mahmoud Darwish (محمود درويش - فلسطين) is known as the national poet of Palestine, and his poetry is beloved throughout the world. He died in 2008.
about the translator
Michael Karam is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in both international relations and economics with a minor in mathematics. Although he was born in the US, he only lived there for a couple of years before moving to Egypt and then to Lebanon a year later. Growing up in Lebanon has fostered within him a love and passion for languages. He is proficient in French and Arabic and has a working knowledge of Spanish. In his opinion, knowing any language comes in handy in a translation because you have some understanding of how languages vary, are alike, and translate ideas. At Penn, Michael is involved with the International Affairs Association, the Undergraduate Assembly, the Assembly of International Students and the United Minorities Council.
