< Return to Video

"To Make Use of Water" by Safia Elhillo

  • 0:00 - 0:03
    My name is Safia Elhillo,
  • 0:03 - 0:07
    and this poem is called
    "to make use of water."
  • 0:10 - 0:13
    dilute
  • 0:13 - 0:15
    i forget the arabic word for economy
  • 0:15 - 0:18
    i forget the english word for عسل
  • 0:18 - 0:20
    forget the arabic word for incense
  • 0:20 - 0:23
    & english word for مسكين
  • 0:23 - 0:26
    arabic word for sandwich
  • 0:26 - 0:30
    english for صيدلية & مطعم & وله
  • 0:31 - 0:35
    stupid girl, atlantic got your tongue
  • 0:37 - 0:40
    blur
  • 0:40 - 0:43
    back home we are plagued by
    a politeness so dense
  • 0:43 - 0:46
    even the doctors cannot call
    things what they are
  • 0:46 - 0:48
    my grandfather’s left eye
  • 0:48 - 0:50
    swirled thick with smoke
  • 0:50 - 0:54
    what my new mouth can call glaucoma
  • 0:54 - 0:57
    while the arabic still translates to
  • 0:57 - 1:01
    the white water
  • 1:01 - 1:03
    swim
  • 1:03 - 1:05
    i want to go home
  • 1:05 - 1:07
    dissolve
  • 1:07 - 1:09
    i want to go home
  • 1:09 - 1:13
    drown
  • 1:17 - 1:21
    half don’t even make it out or across
  • 1:21 - 1:23
    you get to be ungrateful
  • 1:23 - 1:25
    you get to be homesick
  • 1:25 - 1:28
    from safe inside your blue
    american passport
  • 1:28 - 1:33
    do you even understand
    what was lost to bring you here.
Title:
"To Make Use of Water" by Safia Elhillo
Description:

An animated interpretation of Safia Elhillo's poem "To Make Use of Water"
more » « less
Video Language:
English
Team:
closed TED
Project:
TED-Ed
Duration:
02:05

English subtitles

Revisions Compare revisions

Our website uses cookies for analysis purposes.