Quote from Writer’s Seminar On Jeff Vandermeer  

“Where lies the strangling fruit that came from the handoff the sinner, I shall bring forth the seeds of the dead to share with worms that gather in the darkness and surround the world with the power of their lives… In the black water with the sun shining at midnight those fruits shall come ripe and in the darkness of that which is golden shall split open to reveal the fatal softness in the earth.”

– Jeff Vandermeer, Annihilation

The river bleed black with the sins of man.

It seeped out life from the everlasting plant, 

giving breath to the forbidden fruit.

It dripped through restricted territory,

broke down the barriers, 

and penetrated the hardened covering of the forgotten, cursed fruit

revealing a rather beautiful, soft interior.

Delicate leaves pushed through the burden of the earth, 

earnestly seeking the golden moonlight,

gasping for air.

And thus the fruit of sin was birthed.  

 

While analysing the quote, I found the biblical allusions very interesting – especially the line “where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand off the sinner.”  Typically in the Bible, we read about how Eve was deceived by Satan to eat the fruit, and once it was consumed, she becomes a sinner, naked and stripped from the garment of glory. However, in this quote, Vandermeer introduces the idea of how the fruit was birthed by the hand of the sinner, almost opposite in order of what is said in the Bible. With this idea, I crafted a very rough draft of a poem, which is what is given above. I’m still working on the poem; currently, I’m trying to develop the remaining story of the fruit. I will post it on the blog as soon as I am done. 

 

Quote from Writer’s Seminar On Khaled Hossieni

“With the passing of time, she would slowly tire of this exercise. She would find it increasingly exhausting to conjure up, to dust off, to resuscitate once again what was long dead. There would come a day, in fact, years later, when [she] would no longer bewail his loss. Or not as relentlessly; not nearly, there would come a day when the details of his face would begin to slip from memory’s grip, when overhearing a mother on the street call after her child by [his] name would no longer cut her adrift. She would not miss him as she did now, when the ache of his absence was unremitting companion – like the phantom pain of an amputee.”

-Khaled Hossieni, A Thousand Splendid Suns 

Where blood shines crimson, 

there the innocent lay slain. 

Hands shackled and naked – striped from dignity. 

The ambers of love mingled with the drops of pure blood 

ignites a flame of everlasting strength. 

Defeat as named in society. 

Defeat as labeled when life silently slipped. 

But I see courage and endurance, and an eternal flame, 

which burst forth with the strength of a 10,000.

 

While reading the quote, I quickly came to remember the death of Mariam. In the eyes of society, she was being shamed, put to death for a wrongful act. However, within herself, she was at peace. She had experienced love that was denied to a harami. She had family who would remember and honor her after her passing. At the feet of death, she does not feel defeat, rather accomplishment, and pride in the life she endured. Being inspired by this courage and strength, I came up with a short, rough poem as a tribute to her life story.