The Daily Boost #500
We are here to know one another
You may never have heard of the British performing artist Sami Yusuf or anyone in his tremendous cohort of musicians and singers. You may be unfamiliar with many of the instruments being played (ney, kemanche, qanun, baluban, tanbur, oud, sitar, tabla . . . ) and vocalizations being performed (e.g., mugham). You probably won’t understand any of the lyrics.
None of this matters. The beautiful spirit that inspired “Knowing One Another” communicates across differences in culture, language, and musical tradition.
“This is the shimmering music, full of yearning and hope,” reads the video description, “of seekers setting out on a journey of discovery. Inspired by the Quranic verse, “O [hu]mankind! Truly . . . We created you peoples and tribes that you may come to know one another” (49:13).
(My thanks to Sami Yusuf and friends.)
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The Gentle Nudge
Join other Rafters next week for . . .
Poetry Pick-Me-Up (Zoom, Thursday, 12:00-1:00PM Central, at this link)
Other opportunities:
(Paid) Register by MONDAY for “The Rapture of Being Alive,” a poetry workshop with Donna Hilbert on July 10 (Zoom).
(Free) Register for “Book Bash: Celebrating Poetry of Presence II” (Tuesday, Zoom).