Odd little story from Washington, D.C.
From e-ariana:
Afghan poetry groups in D.C. fight a war of words on their artPlease note, there is a big difference between the medieval islamist jihaddi's grabbing the headlines these days and practitioners of Sufism. A Sufi's practice is to embrace joy, and to "Polish their heart like a mirror so that it may reflect the love of God to the world". My first wife was a Sufi and I really enjoyed meeting these people and forged some great friendships. Some of these people were the most gracious people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I am guessing that we are seeing a variant on "Small Town Politics" within this community. For a good introduction to Sufi poetry; one that is more accessible to the Western mind, check out Jallaludin Rumi, especially the translations by Coleman Barks.
There aren't many places in the United States that can count poetry societies run by Afghan cab drivers. Washington has two. And they don't like each other.
"An Evening with the Dervishes" prefers what it calls the serious, scholarly pursuit of poetry. The group views itself as a literary clique focusing on masters such as Abdul Qadir Bedil, a 17th century poet and Islamic mystic, or Sufi. Its gatherings feature top scholars and poets.
"An Evening of Sufism," notwithstanding its name, brings all forms of Afghan poetry to large audiences. It also treats attendees to free refreshments and pop-music performances.
On a Friday evening earlier this year, Maroof Popal checked in on "An Evening of Sufism," the group he helped found and later abandoned to establish the more highbrow Dervishes. Inside a drab, low-ceilinged hall, an Afghan woman dressed in a black pantsuit rose to the podium. She informed the audience of nearly 200 that she'd just finished her poem in the parking lot.
Popal, 52, couldn't contain his disappointment. "Why read a poem if you haven't given it much thought?" he muttered, gently slapping his head with the palm of his hand.
As another woman finished her poem about the "new and tragic phenomenon of suicide bombings in our beloved country," the cab driver walked outside for a smoke.
"Nowadays, by the grace of God, there are so many poets and writers out there," he said, taking a drag. "The question is, Do you want to listen to vulgar poetry or listen to someone who can offer us the real thing?"
The ethnic and political tensions that racked Afghanistan in the 1990s have cooled off, despite the recent Taliban insurgency. But having given up battling over the merits of the Taliban and the Northern Alliance, exiled Afghans here have found a new outlet for factional debate: How to celebrate the ancient Afghan art of poetry reading.
