Dr. Roopali penned this poem for Daniel Pearl, on the Eid of 2002, when he was beheaded. A tribute, exclusively for Different Truths.
(In grief for Daniel Pearl)
What time was it when the insane camera disgorged its darkness To capture in colour The blackness of hell? What time was it in Hell When they pried your gentle Head in search of Allah’s Pearl? At that time did Your manacled hands hold in place the aeons of Time in which Moses led God’s chosen Pearls Across the sea to Jehovah’s Promised Land? At that Time who did you call out to? who did they call out to? who did they think they called out to? who will we call out to? who will the Pearl that sleeps its foetal sleep of peace inside Marianne’s terror filled womb call out to? When the scrolled paper fell like one swiftly beheaded leaving a bloody trail at my door at many doors across sleepy cities what time was it? It was that Time when from marble minarets the Muezzin called the the faithful to prayer echoing the name of God across Pearl white domes of Time. It was the holy Time of Eid. A time for sacrifice.
Author’s Note: I wrote a poem on the day Journalist Daniel Pearl was beheaded and a video was being circulated. It was Eid, Feb 2002. I was just leaving home to celebrate with dear friends. The newspaper lying at the door rolled up carrying the story. I couldn’t go to the celebrations. I stayed home and wrote this poem. Daniel Pearl’s wife Mariane was expecting his child.
Picture design by Anumita Roy, Different Truths
Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur is a poet, travel writer, and social justice activist. A former professor of English Literature at Delhi University, and a creative writing professor at IGNOU, she is a widely published academic and creative writer. Her book Twice Colonised: Women in African Literature, is a seminal text on women’s socio-political empowerment. In 2020-21, she co-edited two poetry anthologies – In All the Spaces: Diverse Voices in Global Women’s Poetry, and Earth Fire Water Wind.
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Beautiful, Roopali. Heart touching piece.
Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur is an amazing woman I am happy to have met through a FB community. Thank you Dr. Roopali for sharing this with me. Bless you in all that you do, Toni