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| [Photo: Yair Ben Haim] |
About the poetry, the poems and the book "Daughter of God" of the international poet Iris Calif
"The Dance of Light and the Dance of Holiness"
A fascinating article by Yehudit Malik Shiran
Article translated from Hebrew to English by Yarden Zehavi
Literary quotes (from the poems) translated into English by Iris Calif
All the rights of the poems and the Literary quotes from the poems reserved to the poet Iris Calif ©️
"The Dance of Light and the Dance of Holiness"
"Daughter of God", Iris Calif, "Rooms" ("Hadarim") publishing house (2020).
The book opens with five poems that are a direct address to God and there are four chapters in the book: the first chapter: "I am a Woman in the Kingdom of Your Creations", the second chapter "Daughter of Life", the third chapter "God's Flower in My Garden" and the fourth chapter "And with the Voice of the Dance; soul".
And who are you, daughter of God? "In signs and wonders you crowned me/ And in ancient worlds in the bible the kingdom of life surrounded me/ The treaty of the Iris of God/ Daughter of Zion/ Daughter of the prophets/ Daughter of the desert/ Daughter of the rain/ Daughter of the field/ Daughter of wheat/ Daughter of the sun/ Daughter of the night/ And in the priestly breastplate of dust of the moon's trumpets/ God will hear my voice" (p. 7). "The night crowns his eyes" (p. 11).
And I want to bring the voice of the daughter of God to here. A voice of creation, a voice of many waters, a voice of prophetic poetry. The variety of voices brought here in the unique language of the holy language and the Kabbalah indicate that she was the one chosen to deliver holy messages. She is in our world on a divine calling from above. And in her poems there is a language that is rare in its beauty, exceptional and bright, staggering and hidden.
The divine calling of prophecy or the vision of the messages
"In God's garment to my body I predict my body to the silence of the divine wind, and the summer candle is lit by a holy life, reigns in the crown of winter writings of my breath/The evening creates my passion that gives birth to existence" (p. 19). The garment of prophecy changes the image and appearance. The prophetic writings Iris foretells will be brought by the winter with the sounds of water in the form of rain and the tears of the body and soul. The evening is compared to the night that creates a desire for life, a desire for a sense of vocation, a desire for existence. And how do we know that she accepted the divine calling upon herself? Unlike the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel, who passed tests to get their position, and Jonah who was chosen to be a prophet yet refused, she did not pass a mental test, but a series of physical tests I would call life lessons, as she accepts the divine calling with these words: "I am the iris, the ballerina of your life dancing in the land of love/ As the vine, the stems of my soul are formed" (p. 22). "I am the holy Iris in the prophetic rain my fears flow... tiny is my tear that drops" (p. 29). Only holy individuals, who are humble and modest, are chosen to be the spokesmen of God's voice. She comes to him without any coverings, naked as on the day of her birth, and God puts the garment of prophecy on her body. In this motif, she is ready for duty. I come as I am, "I am naked drumming forever in the spirit of your shadows/ Engraving love in the nature of my mercy" (p. 31). And in another poem "In front of your eyes I wander naked" (p. 34). "Like a naked Calidris (bird) asking for the angels that blow the righteousness of your silence" (p. 33). "To a naked moon predicting my love's desire" (p. 35). "I am the iris Eve; in the human being's rib dripping my naked love" (p. 36). The nudity motif has something holy about the prophetic role assigned to her and about being a man's wife, a beloved wife, a mother of three daughters. The language of prophecy is also divided into two: on the mystical level she accepted the role, on the realistic level she fulfilled her motherhood and crowned her man into the trumpeter of the desert (bird), "He is the one who races my heart that fertilizes irises of worlds of heaven as a woman in your shadows, as a human being in my blood" (p. 39).
The voice of creation
At the center of the Song of Songs there is a description of the development of the love between two lovers. This is how we meet the image of the beloved woman "Like a wounded gazelle picking up stamens" and he (the man) is "Like a lion of the rivers weaving in me… making love in my loneliness and the night carves the silence of your life in my eyes" She is a gazelle and he is a lion. She is gentle and fragile and he is the king of the animals, his power is greater than hers. "In my everlasting life in which I walk through as a battling lion that pierces borrowed blaze that covers my breath in drops of love" (p. 46). In the Song of Songs, the two lovers are presented as a deer and a gazelle, which are light-footed wild animals. In these species, the love life occurs only in one season of the year. The poet is a wounded gazelle and her lover is a lion. The story of their love, in contrast to the gazelles and deer from the Song of Songs, lasts a lifetime. In parallel to the rhythm of life in nature – dormancy, germination, blooming, budding and ripening – in the plant world: "And the wind embedded in the sound of the earth... crowned our love in golden groves" (p. 48) "Shepherd of radiant earth...the beauty of nature is the woman of light" (p. 75), and in the animal world - growth, puberty, pregnancy and birth. The sound of life created in it is a combination of living water "The flower of the world in my garden/ God's fruit in my womb like a spirit of love caressing my daughter, the creation of my life" (p. 71) "My daughter you are my creation like a gift in drops of divine life... and God heard my voice and sent the shine of your star" (p. 72). And in another poem "And with the gates of heaven the time breathes your world...how beautiful you are, my daughter" (p. 73).
The sound of many waters
The poet took the divine calling upon herself, the vision of her mission in the world. She creates life and conveys messages of life. The messages of life are the divine calling. In the Zohar book, which conveys the divine calling, it is conveyed by the sounds of water. Sometimes the sounds are as thin as brook streams, sometimes they flow like the rivers and sometimes they are as loud as thunder in the sky and their voices echo like a vast ocean. The act of transition and the use of water are called, according to the books of Kabbalah, Chariot mysticism (Merkabah mysticism). And the waters rise and fall and the power of their wind bursts from "The sound of the mountains in breaths of a pure beat" (p. 82). And in another poem the water is used as a purification of the body and soul "My few tears to the purity of the stream of mercy of your image" (p. 83). "In the image of the water the ropes of death chant their spirits/ With tears of soil they wander to God" (p. 84). And the water is used for the purification of the deceased, who are separated from our world and their spirit ascends to the world above and their body remains in the ground. Life and death maintain a cycle known from days long ago. "And the imperial rain rains freedom on the land of my poetry" (p. 11). The sound of water is compared to the rain that showers the earth with the sound of many waters because this is the greatness of God and this is how he redeems human life. Even the poet's poetry about the prophetic calling becomes personal poetry, pure on one hand and holy on the other, since the gates of heaven cover the aura of her faith.
The voice of prophetic poetry
Where will poetry be found? Where will the word of prophecy come from? Both questions deal with "how" the word of prophecy will be spoken and whether the one who speaks it is worthy of being a messenger of God. Hayim Nahman Bialik once mentioned a cricket in one of his poems. The poet in this book, "Daughter of God," voices her words, in contrast to Bialik's cricket, in the dance of the soul- a dance that includes a scale of sounds. "And in the voice/ The dance of the soul/ I am the one who dances love- and the fragile moon/ Flashes his golden soul/ In a human dance" I (p. 93). All the poems in this book have a background setting: the darkness of night, a fragile moon, and the sound of voices from upper and lower waters, all of which create before the readers' eyes a creation along with sounds and holy awe. The poet dances to the light of "The moon kneaded with dreams" (p. 97). And how beautiful is God's prayer medley, even when the spirit is lonely, empty and bleak. Then comes an energy of light that floods her in the night's dream like a prophecy dancing in her soul "In the kneeling of my rivers to the string of God my eyes pace" - Iris Calif"©️ (p. 98). "And the chord of the earth roots the branches of my years/ To the time that creates poetry in my body along the melody of summer" (p. 99). Time creates poetry/prophecies. The body receives wings and the poet in the poem is not only a prophet of messages, but also a shining angel. She comes to guide those walking on a crooked and twisted path and show them their way. "The Creator of the holiness carries life/ As a bird of expanses… soaring to the horizon that plants freedom in the soil of life" (p. 101). The spirit of prophecy rests upon her and she "Embraces the scroll of my Torah in my body as an everlasting treaty" (p. 103), because she was chosen from the silence, "Savior of existence/ Priest in my heart/ The writings of your face / Miracles... The Holy One in the desert will call me/ The voice of actions/ Lord of the world/ King of kings" (p. 105). She was chosen to instruct the heart and soul, to show the way "And here I am" (p. 110). "I am a Hebrew...in the world of the heart of the field God will protect me/ And in the in the grace of the beat of worlds of heaven/ from wheat and barley/ To the land of the living my God will carry me" (p. 113). And a few words about the design of the book and the language of the poetry. On the front cover there is the figure of the poet against a picture of the moon, which appears as a symbol throughout the whole book. The moon that illuminates the world at night bears witness to the role that the daughter of God received- to direct her gaze and lead the way out of the love of faith and the love of her divine calling. The use of words from the Aramaic language, that finds a way into her poems, indicates that Iris Calif is a descendant of Kabbalists and was blessed with the prophecies of the spirit of the heart and with abilities of channeling and spiritual vision "And in the sight of the worlds/ God will cover me/ Sun/ Earth/ Moon/ Stars/ Clouds/ Heavens/ waterfalls streams rivers/ Rain/ Mountains/ Seasons/ Soul/ Eve/ Man/ Daughter of man/ Daughter of God/ Daughter of life" (p. 109). The coverage is the garment of prophecy, that is both local and universal, something external. And the garment, when it wraps the body, also allows the soul to be wrapped in it as well. And what is the holy covering without the body and soul together? And the book left me with a meditation of sounds, a contemplation of my path as a daughter of man, a daughter of God, whose spirit of God hovers around me, over me and below me, pouring love into me between the sacred and the mundane through the secrets of the Torah, the secrets of creation and the secrets of the poetry of this book
About the author of the article Yehudit Malik-Shiran--ISRAEL
A creative artist writes and composes my songs.
Owns an "efi-log" radio in Israel. An educator and a therapist with a combination of arts. A poet and writer for children and adults
Owner of "Bat Or" book publishing house. She won awards for her books and her works were published in magazines in Israel and abroad. Editor of the magazine "On the Way" which gives a platform to poets, writers and painters. High school teacher and journalist, literary and music critic
About the poet Iris Calif -ISRAEL
Iris was born and lives in Israel she is an international writer, poet, dancer, editor and translator of poetry to Hebrew. She is in charge of foreign relations in the online culture, literature, art and poetry magazine "The Direction of the Holy Spirit Wind" ("Bekiovn Hroh") a translator and an editor of world-wide poetry in the magazine and editor of international anthologies at the magazine, as well as in the culture and lifestyle magazine "Mokasini" and in the "World Poetry" section on the literature website "Rooms" ("Hadarim"). She is also a member of the Composers' Association of Hebrew authors and publishers in Israel named "ACUM".
Iris is received of the International Prize for Literature Italy - Milan 2024: 'CITY OF GALATEO' Special award for excellence 'città del Galateo' in the category of foreign writers from around the world, poetry and fiction on a free topic, for the poem she wrote "Angel of Life".
Iris received the 2023 award for International Best Poets & POETS:
THE JOURNAL OF RENDITION OF INTERNATIONAL POETRY- IPTRC [Multilingual] CHINA and she was selected- to be one of the "20 Top International Journalists for the year 2024 of Legacy Crown’s" -ASIA. She also holds a diploma from the "Russian Professional Writers Union" and the international magazine "Arina NN", registered in the Ministry of Culture of Russia, for her contribution to the culture world "International Poetic Community" 2022.
Iris is the head of the Israeli liaison department of the Hong Kong Literature and Arts Magazine and a member of the Association of artists and writers of the World SAPS. She takes part in the editorial board of the World Poetry Yearbook 2024 (English edition) and holds an honorary doctorate from the International Forum for Creativity, Humanity and Coexistence, Kingdom of Morocco.
Iris is a descendant of a lineage of Kabbalists, blessed with the prophecy of the spirit of the heart and the ability of communication and vision, which are expressed in her mystical and Kabbalistic writing, endowed with spiritual touches of holy upper and hidden worlds. For her, it is a blessing to shine with the spirit of the Jewish voice from the depths of love, life, and faith in the creator of the world- our father in heaven
"And as I soar with the flight of my spirit soul, I will carry the holy halo of the light of my Jewish loving voice, in the eternally world of the wings of the Dove of God spirit of the land-living peace"-Iris Calif
Three of Iris's books have already been published: "In a Mysterious magical path Lolita breathes" (2001), "A Pure Wild moon" (2017), and "The daughter of God" (2020), and she is currently working on her fourth book. Her poems have been published and read on the radio, on television, on the internet, in national and international magazines and newspapers and in anthologies around the world, and were translated by international poets into numerous languages such as Spanish, Bengali, Nepali, Arabic, Chinese, Turkish, Assamese, Russian, Albanian and Italian.
Iris's poems were presented in many prestigious and international exhibitions in Israel such as "Crowns of Winter" (January 2023), where a poem of hers translated into Bengali was displayed alongside poems by seven international poets, each translated and edited into Hebrew by her. Also, the exhibition "Black-Red-White" displayed Iris's translated versions of poems written by five international poets. Most recently, Iris's poems, also translated into Chinese, Italian, Spanish and Arabic, were presented in the universal exhibition "Butterflies of Peace", which also included the poems of 21 poets from around the world, translated by Iris into Hebrew.
Iris's poetry reflects the inner journey of her soul, which looks through love, dreams of life and breathes holy and hidden worlds. Her poetry is a symbol and an expression of her victory over anorexia and her courageous decision to choose life and love.
"And in my living Iris soul; Golden Irises of the Blue heaven Sky
And My Spirit; Dances the Living Voice of the Holy God Life" -Iris Calif©️
Poems by the International poet Iris Calif – ISRAEL
THE HUMAN DIVINE FLOWER; THE IRIS
God
In the Living halo of heaven’s candlesticks is my blue gold burning candle flame
As Iris a human flower I am inflaming my heaven dance to the human moon
And in pure wilderness of desert wild ashes,
A Life;
And the days gather the spirit soul of the angel of my life
Creates my human Iris flower heart
To the holy land of the heaven wind
"All rights reserved to Iris Calif"©
Daughter of the God - Iris Calif
God
King of the Angels of the Worlds
Our Father in Heaven
Brave Yaakov
Lord of all deeds
Lord of the all land
In the halo light of the Nile Angels
The night crowns his eyes
He carries the God of my body in front of the virtue of the hidden royal of the firstborn Moon
And in the creation of my heart
A fate of love's spirit is inscribed
Blessed Daughter of God
I am the naked ballerina, dancing the spirit words of the poetry of
the sacred lyrical poems
Touching of the sacred land hymns
Kissing heavenly things in paradise
And in the Bible of life’s desert an offering of forests
The golden sun sheds love
A soul of living life grows
Silence kneels before the Divine spirit
A halo of an essential melody
And the whisper sound of my breath embraces the mountain of the sacred Stone of God
And the glorious rain shall call and release the land of my heaven's poetry
And in the fields of the everlasting blossom of world
Daughter of love
Daughter of Human
Daughter of Eve
Daughter of Isaac
Daughter of Maria
Daughter of the sun
Daughter of the moon
Daughter of the stars
Daughter of the land
Daughter of the worlds
Daughter of living
Daughter of God
"All rights reserved to Iris Calif"©
THE DESERT BRIDE-IRIS CALIF
In the calm prayer of your rains, simulates virtue of love
In God's garment to my body, I predict my body
To the silence of the divine wind
The darkness carrying love
Desire raising my dream
And the summer candle is lit by a holy life
Reigns in the crown of winter writings of my soul
The evening creates my passion that gives birth to existence
The night is heavily breathing the sand in the pasture of the world
And in the knowledge of heaven
I am the bride of the desert
"All rights reserved to Iris Calif"©
GOD'S MOON- IRIS CALIF -ISRAEL
Tonight; the voice of God's moon rises and the Nile angels are carrying the holy Dawn of my body
In the river the boundaries of the holy anomaly
To the hidden Spirit
For a winter fast, the universe of my steps will be stride
"Lord of armies" " King of honor"
The God of the Worlds, The Creator of the Living
My blowing voice is distinguished by the twilight of Your holy Torah
Waking up in the soul of the land
Savior of existence in the exhalation of the righteous
The night exceeds love affairs in the delight of darkness
To my naked body at the Silence the Stars
Crossing a mountain of heaven
And in the fields of the golden wind of the mysterious angels.
My breathe is alien
On God's Moon
Kneeling my dream
Spreading like a seed of the juniper
In the sands of anomaly
"All rights reserved to Iris Calif"©
HUMAN DANCE - IRIS CALIF - ISRAEL
In the night river,
The cypress of your eyes
Binds my soul and the naked spirit
Catches up my innocent world,
And a loud dance of the soul mind.
I’m dancing love by yours,
Distilling my body to your needs.
The winds of your stars
Pierce
Drowning senses to the halo of the collected sun silently
And in the crown of heaven my passion is crumbled
Wrapped in the solitude of your heart,
And the moon is fragile;
flash his golden soul
In a human dance
"All rights reserved to Iris Calif"©
A WOMAN AS BROOK OF DESERT -IRIS CALIF
With the letter love, biding the violin of eternity
Embroidering melodies to my nude body;
The words of heaven
Miracles occurs;
Sun sets the world apart
I roar silently, naked,
Carving souls of existence,
Saints hover cratt in rain gloves
Reviving the cradle of waters
Crossing my dress,
My heart, in the warmed-up sand,
The night enchants consolation,
Silence of human delusions
The creation wind is racing in her bound beauty,
To the mountain coast
I am breached now; woman
As brook of desert.
"All rights reserved to Iris Calif"©
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