Power exists in many forms: weapons, threats, dimensions, and even words. In the midst of the violence and unstable power that exists between Israel and Palestine, Mahmoud Darwish attempts to influence people's feelings through his poetry. In Darwish's politically charged poems, he uses a combination of common symbols familiar to both Jewish and Arab peoples, and carefully chosen language and diction. The content of his work allows him to cross the proverbial bridge between Jewish and Arab audiences, almost always making his message palpable to both. However, he walks the line between wisdom and condescending superiority. The end result is that Darwish's poetry has a power of its own, and Darwish attempts to use this power to distance his readers from the violence of war. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Although there is a historically long conflict between the Jewish and Arab people, they share such a close kinship that the two cultures have many cultural similarities. Darwish isolates these similarities, like common religious symbols, and uses them in his work. The symbols share common messages of peace, brotherhood and coexistence, as well as calling for total destruction. It is with these symbols that Darwish makes his poems resonate with people of both cultures. To convey peace, Darwish alludes to a place of historical significance: “If only I could go to Damascus as an echo / Damascus, my woman, / I will love and survive” (“The Flute Gried” 1.8). Darwish refers to Damascus for its history as a city that existed with multiple religions. In “The Flute Cried,” Darwish offers images of two crying women, who embody the division of such a place. He writes: “The flute cried out and rent the sky into two women” (3), representing Israel and Palestine. The image of Damascus forces the reader of the poem to see the coexistence of the two peoples. Darwish's goal is to show the reader that since the two groups lived together peacefully in the past, it can and should be that way again. Darwish embraces the similarity between his culture and that of the Jewish people with a symbol of friendliness and brotherhood. “…I see my friends bringing the evening mail: wine, bread, some novels and records” (I see my ghost coming from afar, 2-3). The image of bread and wine is a scriptural reference. Symbolizes friendship and neighborhood. Darwish's intention is that when the reader sees an image so commonly associated with encounters of positivity and love, they will one day see the possibility of associating that image with the enemy. A symbol of true versatility is the olive branch. It represents many things, not least peace. Darwish incorporates this symbol into the context of desire. He writes: "I contemplate the trunk of the olive tree that hid..." (I see my ghost coming from afar). Just as the olive tree symbol has a myriad of meanings, Darwish has just as many reasons to use it in his poems. Religiously, the branch symbolizes life and purity from sin, as it was what the dove brought to Noah in the Ark to show that the flood was over and life had resumed. Colloquially, to extend an olive branch is to extend the will for peace, which is Darwish's goal for his readers. To increase the impact of his writing, Darwish also incorporates symbols with less positive connotations. Adding to his symbolic arsenal, Darwish uses the symbol of ashes, which symbolize the religious journey that human bodies make from ash to ash. “I contemplate the invisible: what will come – what will come after the ashes? (I see my ghost coming from afar). It is with this symbol that Darwish shows the reader the catastrophe thatit could come if the premises of peace and coexistence were ignored. Darwish skillfully uses this technique to show the negativity of hostility, which has the potential to be more convincing than symbols of peace and happiness. Darwin's extensive use of such symbols, especially those with meaning in both cultures, shows his intent. He wants his poems to influence his readers' view of fighting, but also their view of the opposing culture. As these symbols convey specific ideas of peace and coexistence to readers, Darwish continues to build power in his words through his carefully chosen language and familiar diction. Since Darwish is Arabic, it is necessary for his jargon to use such tools to ensure that his message is clear to Jewish readers as well, without perceived bias or blame focused on either side. The only bias Darwish displays through his poems is that of peace, and to keep this constant, his language and word choice reflect the hardships experienced by both Jewish and Jewish people. The early examples of the olive branch reinforce the neutrality of his poetry, further reducing any perceived bias. Darwish's diplomatic writing style begins when he gives poetry a neutral voice. His works are in the first person, and if one assumes that Darwish himself is not the narrator of the poem, it is not obvious whether the narrator is Arab or Jewish. This benefits the readability of his poems, as there are those who would simply ignore his poems before reading them because Darwish is Arab. In this particular case, in lines such as “I will follow the path of song, though my roses are fewer” (The Night There), the narrator expresses the desperation of the bloody conflict, without showing any affiliation or association with either. side. This makes Darwish's poems more readable and his message more acceptable to those who do not necessarily agree with him due to his ethnicity. Darwish's language and diction also reflect that of a teacher, which can, however, be viewed negatively. The narrator in Darwish's poems speaks in a manner of superior knowledge, so some readers might assume that Darwish is inferring that he knows the way the conflict should be resolved. He specifically writes, “We could be what we should be” (The Dreamers Pass from One Sky to Another), actively stating how people should act. While his message does not convey negativity or provoke violence, it is a call to action. Such a statement has the potential to imply wrongdoing, and many opinionated readers don't like being told they're wrong, these types of people are less likely to be open to your message. Darwish's intent is to convey the idea of ​​peace and coexistence between the two warring peoples, it is less effective for him to preach to his readers than to use subtle symbolism and rhetoric. Darwish's use of calm, unpretentious language is the most effective way to convey his message. He writes: “…I ask: will there be a new prophet for this new time?” (I see my ghost coming from afar). In contrast to his didactic tone, Darwish instead declares his ignorance, using the character of the narrator to ask the reader what will happen. In this context, it successfully exemplifies the reader's thoughts, such as: "how will we be saved from this conflict" and "is the fight effective?" The ability to engage the reader in this conversation is the essence of the power Darwish has as an author. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Hindered by all the violence and hatred that exists between,.