ادبيات د. عبدالله الطيب

A Luminous Woman

Written by Sharif Saleh

Translated by Dr. Abdallah Altaiyeb

There was a silvery light, from an unknown source, in the room, along with a woman, freckled and lonely. She was tightening her eyes, so it was not possible to tell their color, but probably they had a silver shine to them, matching that of the lonely light. A lonesome window was closed in the face of the room, and a clock was ticking from somewhere, with a perpetual monotony, tick … tick … tick

She had been standing there in the room for a while. Then, she decided to take off her black velvet jacket, revealing a blouse of a blended green and yellow color, crowned with a large collar. She took it off too, and looked somewhat taller in her high heal shoes and slender legs. Her body was still great, despite the grey strands

Don’t Leave The Door Open… Please

Written By: Wafa Altayeb

Translated by : Dr. Abdallah Altaiyeb

My husband left without closing the armoire door after changing his clothes.  He knew how I hated for our maid to see me scattered all over my bed and in my sleep. Carelessly and as usual, he left the door of the apartment open.  He did not close the door behind him when he got in either 

Despite my frequent warnings not to leave the door open at night, he always counterargued by saying

Don’t worry, we are in the eighth floor, and the apartment next to us is vacant; and besides, the doorman would not allow strangers in

My heart was restless as I forgot my keys inside the apartment this time. It was already past 1 AM and I was on my way to my apartment with my friend, Um Ahmad, and her husband as I had prearranged with her to give me a lift at the conclusion of the soiree.

Ce qui nous réjouissait davantage est son chant sporadique, beau, et serein et ses danses de primitif sur une branche fière de son arbre situé près de notre maison. Pendant que le soleil a procédé pour dormir, il se livre à son chant serein tout en préparant pour décider de marcher au cage volontairement, personnifiant une garde de maison fidèle mais effrayant. Nous pourrions jurer qu'aucun chat, hérisson, ou même un cancrelat idiot ne peuvent partir furtivement sur son chemin vers notre maison sans notre conscience. Parce qu'aussitôt que n'importe quelle créature avance dans le voisinage de notre maison, l'oiseau vigilant crierait fort appelant “Ayman… Ayman… attrapez le voleur… attrapez le voleur

Nous étions heureux quand il a répété ces mots le jour où notre maire de secteur nous a rendu visite; exactement à la minute où il a débarquée sur notre paillasson. Nous ne pouvons jamais oublier qu'il a falsifié un témoignage de cour pour gagner une propriété immobilière que mon grand-père avait achetée deux ans plus tôt mais est mort avant d'accomplir l'enregistrement légal du contrat

Il est déjà entré dans la maison parmi d’autres qui mon père a invité pour

Dominos

Written by: Ebtesam Trisy

Translated by: Dr. Abdallah Altaiyeb

I had just carefully placed another brick in the structure with precision.  And in the company of a smile on my face for the path it was paving in the matrix of my life, I collectedly started writing

The smell of burning under my skin was overwhelming me but I ignored the smell and recomposed the final draft of my opening article for The Morning newspaper.  Springing out of their lines, my words were streaming towards a dark horizon, mocking my feelings, and overpowering me with their cruelty

(I need to show the importance of the existence of women and their effective role in shaping history

My father used to tell me

It is natural that you get more than

Mister Jumah

Written by: Sameer El-Feel

Translated by: Dr. Abdallah Altaiyeb

I came to find Mister Jumah sitting as usual at the door of the grand mosque facing the souk. The shops had started their day early, while the houses were still in a deep sleep since the night had fed on men’s nectar. I had become aware of that early in my life. In the souk, my eyes had opened up on the inconspicuous and the obscure and I thought of practicing discretion as God had taught us. Divulging secrets of other people and exposing them is detestable and unsavory; for there are secrets and things that must remain untold.

Hajj Khaleel

لاتغلقــي الجـــوال

وقالت تعبت الآن منك ومن أبــي

وشوق وحب قبل خوفٍ ومهرب

فجهراً تحاببنا.. وسراً تلاقينــــــا

بهمسٍ بجوَّالٍ.. وحــرفٍ مهــذب

فما حيلتي إن حال في القرب بيننا

شهران .. مرا

شهران.. مرًّا

وكنا دمىً.. تتعرًّى

وقفزات حبٍ.. وحرف كبير بحجم ابتسامة عملاق..

وسقفٌ.. أوانا..

حبيسين كنا.. ونحفظ أرقام أقفالنا.. نتناسى..

قيودٌ.. وأقفال..

ونسكن أكرم سجن

وأطهو حساءاً.. أتذكره..

كنت

رمال وأساطير

وأزرعُ في مقلتيك اكتئاباتِ رملي..

فيغدو السواد..

ويذوي فيها اصفرارُ السنابل.. ويغدو سحاباً..

ويهمي رموزاً.. تطلُ من اللغةِ البائدة..

فأنقشُ في ساعديكِ أماني كفٍ.. صغيرٍ.. صغيرْ..

علته الحروفُ.. بأقلامها..

وجاءتْ بحلوىً لذيذة..

وخاطت بأصبعه السنبلة..