Review by Lgs1089 -- Bleeding Gull - look, feel, fly

Lgs1089 · Post by **Lgs1089** » 01 May 2018, 15:36

[Following is a volunteer review of "Bleeding Gull - look, feel, fly" by Raed Anis Aljishi.]

4 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

Bleeding Gull: Look, Feel, Fly is a collection of poems written by Raed Anis Al-Jishi. Raed has published seven volumes of poetry in Arabic, but Bleeding Gull is the only collection that has been translated into English. Raed was born in Al-Qatif located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia where he’s kept his day job as a high school chemistry teacher. He continues to actively write and speak on matters of feminism and human rights.

The poems in Bleeding Gull are written in free-verse. Without the use of rhyme or meter, the structure of each poem relies heavily on imagery for didactic purpose. The various stages of life on Earth are depicted through biblical, cultural, and scientific allusions indicative of the Islamic faith. Death, grief, and loss are metaphorically presented to the reader as a ladder to enlightenment and meant as positive rites of passage on the journey to reunite with Allah. Emblematic language is sprinkled throughout each poem and remains parallel which provides further insight into the author’s intent.

The imagery was so clear that at times I felt as if I were standing on the shore of the Persian Gulf watching the Sun rise and set with the gulls.

I face-palmed at the revelation of my ignorance of Islamic culture. I had to go through a process to be able to effectively review this collection. I began with a continuous read to familiarize myself with the context, and then examined each poem systematically. After the fourth time I read Bleeding Gull, I was able to note the significance of linguistic patterns, choice of title, development of personas used to introduce concepts of feminism and humanity and was able to pinpoint allusions to the Qu’ran, historical events and agriculture indigenous to Al-Qatif. The reading process took time, but it was worth the effort. I found the entire experience captivating. There were times I got swept away trying to decipher symbols and allusions. I had to stop and say,

I think I can, I think I can…

and I’m really glad that I did. Although my ignorance of the Islamic way of life is not eradicated, I feel like I’ve gained quite a bit of knowledge from reading this brilliant collection, and it’s at least a start.

I did not find any grammatical errors or logical fallacies in Bleeding Gull. At times I wondered if the translation from Arabic to English could have altered the original syntax, but I could not find any evidence to suggest that occurred.

I highly recommend Bleeding Gull to educators. These poems are brilliantly saturated with complex, literary elements and historical events that would prod fierce, creative dialogue among students in a classroom setting. Without question, I rate this collection 4 out of 4 stars.

******
Bleeding Gull - look, feel, fly
View: on Bookshelves

Like Lgs1089's review? Post a comment saying so!