Everitte Barbee
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The Sea in the Sink -Yehia Jaber

The poem “Incongruity” aka “Nightmare” by Lebanese poet Yehia Jaber is written once in the Diwani Jali Arabic calligraphy script to create the image of water running from a tap.

This piece was one of eight designs, commissioned by Reel Festivals to accompany their poetry publication featuring contemporary poets from Lebanon, Syria, and Scotland. One piece was commissioned for each of the eight poets featured in the festival. In preparation for the festival, all of the poets traveled to Lebanon in order to translate each others poems from Arabic to English and vice versa, this is one of those recently translated poems. This image was also featured in the Anon 8 poetry anthology.

Translation:

Incongruity by Yehia Jaber

I am not mad-

but his morning

I saw the sea in the sink

Translation by Lauren Pyott