Video Reading From My Forthcoming Book—on @DTube—& How I Came To Write It
Where Epics Fail
There is a Persian proverb that says: “Epigrams succeed where epics fail.” I was so struck by this thought when I encountered it, and on so many levels, that I decided I would name my forthcoming collection of aphorisms, Where Epics Fail. Composed over a 10 year period, the subtitle of my latest book of brief meditations is Art, Morality and the Life of the Spirit — three live-giving spheres of our existence where the grand narratives seem to be failing to hold our attention or capture our imagination.
Growing up in Cairo, Egypt I was surrounded by a love of word play, and was attracted to the power of proverbs, since I was a young man. Wit and verse were viewed as a sport, where I came from, even a sort of national pastime (at least, during the three decades that I lived there. It wasn’t about being book-smart, proverbs were used as a form of street poetry or fossils of ancient philosophies merging with living truths. They were our oral tradition and inherited wisdom, rescuing keen psychological insights from the past, and passing it onto future generations, as shortcuts to hard-won life experiences. Good aphorisms aspire to this type of wisdom literature, as well.
In my late teens, some two and a half decades before Twitter, I began writing what would become my first collection of aphorisms. Nearly one decade later, I was putting the finishing touches to Where Epics Fail, now based in the US, and coinciding with what seemed to be an Aphorism Renaissance in America. Since last I aphorized, I observe that the inner and outer landscape had changed, dramatically.
On a personal level, I, who once lived for the life of the mind came to realize that, after decades of intellectual exploration I was humbled to discover that, spiritually, I still stand on the shore before a vast and limitless sea… Meanwhile, of course, I was not the only one changing. My old home, Egypt, and newly adopted one, America – as well as everywhere in between – seemed to be battling for its soul. People more divided and less inclined to lend their ear to the heroic epic (in poetry or politics). It was up to the epigram to remind us of our higher selves and larger allegiances to one another.
Poetry is an act of peace. Peace goes into the making of a poet as flour goes into the making of bread, says poet Pablo Neruda. As an immigrant and Muslim and writer living in Trump’s America, as well as being a citizen of our increasingly polarized world, I feel called upon to use my art to alleviate the mounting fear and loathing, directed at those of different backgrounds/faith traditions.
The over 800 aphorisms in Where Epics Fail are what is worth quoting from this soul’s dialogue with itself but they are, I hope, more than a series of personal reflections. On one level, they are addressed at general readers and lovers of language, and specifically resonate with those who appreciate wit and wisdom: pithy sayings, inspirational or spiritual sustenance in a sentence. On another level, the aphorisms in new book are intended for seekers, thinkers, devotees of beauty and peace, who share my belief that it is art's duty to try and 'make a joyful noise'.
It is my wish, that in these short meditations, readers might encounter thoughts that might begin to liberate and heal (their wounded selves, and in turn, our wounded world). Such aphorisms are headlines, but they are also the stories, too, inviting reader of conscience to complete them by living at a higher level of consciousness.
—© Yahia Lababidi
Aphorisms from Where Epics Fail:
· Aphorisms respect the wisdom of silence by disturbing it, but briefly.
· Poems are like bodies—a fraction of their power resides in their skin. The rest belongs to the spirit that swims through them.
· Said a poem to a poet: Can I trust you? Is your heart pure to carry me, are your hands clean to pass me on?
· Unlike prose, poetry can keep its secrets.
· To write is to bow is to pray.
· There are many ways to donate blood, writing is one.
—If you order my book, "Where Epics Fail" from the link, below, your name will be included in the limited hardcover edition as a token of appreciation: https://unbound.com/books/where-epics-fail/
▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS
liberation and healing. our world is so in need of these, Yahia, and is there a higher value poetry, aphorisms or even words can bring into a fractured space? I think not.
these are amazing - so much in so little. like peering into a microscope for the first time and seeing the unseen world in a grain of sand.
thank you so much for the share, @yahialababidi, these brief silence interruptions carry so much wisdom, and it's so good to hear them!
Could not find a link to your prefered place for those who wish to procure your book - thought I'd ask here, good sir.
Dear @carmalain7,
As the Buddhists say, words are fingers pointing at the moon. By themselves they are not much, but what they point to - our Longings - and where they come from -our hearts- matters and can heal us...
Thank you, for your close reading and sincerity (what springs from one heart reaches another). Also, thanks, for correcting oversight about where you can find my book. I've just added this link to my post:
"—If you order my book, Where Epics Fail from the link, below, your name will be included in the limited hardcover edition as a token of appreciation: https://unbound.com/books/where-epics-fail/"
Ever-grateful for your support, Yahia
Poetry Definitely has its secrets, I love that only because they are not intentionally hidden.. only for those who resonate with the art Receive the message.. that’s why I love poetry 🌸
Thank you, for stopping by, fellow mystic @esaia.mystic. I know that you have ears for that fainter music and eyes for the unseen :) Carry on walking in Beauty...