Our (optional) prompt for the day asks to engage with different languages and cultures through the lens of proverbs and idiomatic phrases. Many different cultures have proverbs or phrases that have largely the same meaning, but are expressed in different ways. For example, in English we say “his bark is worse than his bite,” but the same idea in Spanish would be stated as “the lion isn’t as fierce as his painting.” Today, I’d like to challenge you to find an idiomatic phrase from a different language or culture, and use it as the jumping-off point for your poem.
Well I ended up using a couple of them, seven to be exact, though I took care to attest the meaning within the poem. Hope I haven’t overcooked the broth 🙂
Poem: Do what it takes
You may think the sky has fallen, but be certain of the ground you stand
As things that are pernicious for you, may not be vile for everyone
In Turkey they say, “If the world flooded, it wouldn’t matter to the duck”
Energy comes from within, it means when Kenyans say, “The dog is propelled by its tail”
Know the value of things around you; “Those who don’t know a falcon, will eat it,” Arabians proclaim
And hey, don’t squander your time on trivialities,
Yes you guessed it right, “The eagle doesn’t wage a war against frogs,” believe my Italian mates
When clouds obstruct your Sun, just become a cloud and blend in
“To live with wolves, you have to howl like a wolf,” how aptly Russians say
Don’t let defeat hold you back; “Fall seven times, stand up eight” (Japanese)
Trust Turkish when they say, “Those who want yoghurt in winter, must carry cow in their pocket”
To achieve your goals, you have to do what it takes!
©Vandana Bhasin
22.04.2020
What a marvellous selection of idioms!
I envy your selection of words already , but now you have shifted to idioms and how perfectly you blended everything..
I cannot be more proud of you. You are just too good♥️♥️