It’s Romance Awareness Month, and this week we’re sharing some tips for how to be romantic in other cultures. Visit here for more tips from other cultures.
In Arab cultures, common romantic gestures include holding hands, hugging, and patting someone on the cheeks and shoulders.
Arabic cultures also highly value the effect of romantic music and songs, as well as romantic poetry.
Here are some love poems by famed poet Kahlil Gibran you can share with your love interest:
(1)
حينما أغرقُ في عينيكِ عيني
Hiinmaa ‘aghraq fii xaynayki xaynii
When I sink my eye into your eyes
ألمحُ الفجرَ العميقا
‘almaHu alfajr al-xamiiqaa
I catch a glimpse of a deep dawn
وأرى الأمسَ العتيقا
wa ‘ara al-‘amsa al-xatiiqaa
And I see ancient yesterday
وأرى ما لستُ أدري
wa ‘ara maa lastu ‘adrii
And I see what I do not know
وأحسُ الكونَ يجري
wa ‘aHissu al-kawna yajrii
And I feel the universe flowing
بين عينيك وعيني
bayna xaynayki wa xaynii
Between my eye and yours
(2)
البعض نحبهم
al-baxD nuHibbuhm
Some people, we love them;
لكن لا نقترب منهم
lakin laa naqtarib minhum
but we don’t get closer to them
فهم في البعد أحلى
fahum fi l-buxd ‘aHlaa
because, from far, they are more seductive,
وهم في البعد أرقى
wa hum fi l-buxd ‘arqaa
from far, they are more noble
وهم في البعد أغلى
wa hum fi l-buxd ‘aghlaa
from far, they are more precious.
والبعض نحبهم
wal-baxD nuHibbuhm
Some people, we love them,
ونتمنى أن نعيش حكاية جميلة معهم
wa natamannaa ‘an naxiish Hikaaya Jamiila maxahum
we wish to live a beautiful story with them,
ونفتعل الصّدف لكي نلتقي بهم
wa naftaxil aS-Sudaf likay naltaqii bihim
we come up with circumstances just to bump into them,
ونختلق الأسباب كي نراهم
wa nakhtaliq al-‘asbaab kay naraahum
we come up with excuses just to see them,
ونعيش في الخيال أكثر من الواقع معهم
wa naxiish fi l-khayaal ‘akthar min al-waaqix maxahum
we live in a fantasy more than reality with them.
والبعض نحبهم
wal-baxD nuHibbuhm
Some people, we love them,
لكن بيننا وبين أنفسنا فقط
lakin baynanaa wa bayna ‘anfusinaa faqaT
but we keep it a secret to ourselves,
فنصمت برغم ألم الصّمت
fanaSmit biraghm ‘alam aS-Smt
so we remain silent, even if it burns us
فلا نجاهر بحبهم حتى لهم لأن العوائق كثيرة
flaa nijaahir biHubbhim Hattaa lahum li’anna al-xawaa’iq kathiira
we don’t declare our love, because the obstacles are numerous,
والعواقب مخيفة ومن الأفضل لنا ولهم أن تبقى
wa al-xawaaqib mukhiifa wa min al-‘afDl lanaa wa lahum ‘an tabqaa
we don’t declare our love, because the obstacles are numerous,
الأبواب بيننا وبينهم مغلقة
al-‘abwaab baynanaa wa baynahum mughlaqa
and it is best for us that the door stays shut between us