Rita And The Rifle Analysis

Between Rita and my eyes
There is a rifle
And whoever knows Rita
Kneels and plays
To the divinity in those honey-colored eyes
And I kissed Rita
When she was young
And I remember how she approached
And how my arm covered the loveliest of braids
And I remember Rita
The way a sparrow remembers its stream
Ah, Rita
Between us there are a million sparrows and images
And many a rendezvous
Fired at by a rifle

Rita's name was a feast in my mouth
Rita's body was a wedding in my blood
And I was lost in Rita for two years
And for two years she slept on my arm
And we made promises
Over the most beautiful of cups
And we burned in the wine of our lips
And we were born again

Ah, Rita!
What before this rifle could have turned my eyes from yours
Except a nap or two or honey-colored clouds?
Once upon a time
Oh, the silence of dusk
In the morning my moon migrated to a far place
Towards those honey-colored eyes
And the city swept away all the singers
And Rita

Between Rita and my eyes—
A rifle


Anonymous submission.

.: Rita :.

"Rita and The Rifle" by Mahmoud Darwish is the other example of Palestinian love poems that are related to one's homeland. It is worthy to mention that this poem is a song performed by the Lebanese singer, Marsel Khalifeh. The speaker in this poem shows a great pain because after having a great love story filled with outstanding passion and sweet memories for a long time, a ridiculous tiny item like a rifle has been able to make them apart. Those memories include their story since they were children until they both grew up to be adults. One of the speaker's brilliant concerns is their sexual affair discussed indirectly. While reading, it is obvious that the lovers are indulged in a complete sexual relationship. There are several hints in the lines which can easily be a support to their affair. He says:
Rita's body was a wedding in my blood
And I was lost in Rita for two years
And for two years she slept on my arm …
And we burned in the wine of our lips
And we were born again (18-24).
In these lines, the speaker confesses that he has really been interested and enjoyed in Rita's body for two years. Their second born resembles in a straight line their intercourse. Also, the importance of physical love in Darwish's life can be pointed out in his words when he says in an interview "I love to be in love... When it's over, I realize it wasn't love. Love is to be lived, not remembered." (Omer, Par. 26) The main cause of this spontaneous relationship break up is a silly rifle. Here, there can be two interpretations; on the one hand, Rita may be killed by a bullet from an Israeli rifle. On the other hand, the speaker may have been obliged to leave her in order to serve as a soldier and use a rifle.
Bushra & Yasmin

| Posted on 2008-04-18 | by a guest