Starlight in the Desert: Recommendations for ‘Kuwaiti Woman’ by Souad Al Sabah

– Poet Ko Un

My eyes suddenly opened!
Souad Al Sabah’s poems float upon the long river of time. The sounds of truth are sloshing about.
Souad Al Sabah’s poems conceive the sunset’s horizon reminiscing over the midday sun.
The cries of her poems are only possible as a mother.
My chest starts to burn. One cannot help but revere her identity, resistance to her homeland and altar of devotion.
Her declaration for women is a declaration for humanity.
Through her works, some will meet Palestinian Darwish and some will meet Nasir, who is reaching for the third world.
Souad Al Sabah is a glory of the Arab world.

– Kim Geun-sang, Bishop of The Anglican Church of Korea, President of The National Council of Churches in Korea

Even though I am not a particular fan of poems and I have never written a poem or a piece of prose, Souad Al Sabah’s book of poetry shook, comforted and challenged me.
“My love, I’m a woman suffering from lovesickness.
Please lift me up through the power of religion.
But, you are in the North Pole and my longing for you is in the equator.”
I get a similar feeling whenever I read any of her poems. She does not decorate herself. She does not show off her learning nor use flowery language. Her poems contain a desperate cry of the agony of her life.
I am not trying to tell of her situation. She is our neighbor, a poet who is earnestly aspiring to be present in the moment. The one thing that separates us is the fact that I have not experienced her trials, hardships, anguish and sorrow and thus, cannot write such poems. This makes me feel shy, relief and hope.
Souad Al Sabah! She is a poet who has left a deep impression on my heart. I hope to meet her in this lifetime.

– Monk Beopryun

Life is not easy, is it? I can assure you that Souad Al Sabah’s poems will bring you comfort.
You did not know, did you? Through her book of poetry, you will be able to understand Islam and the Arab world better.
How about having East and West Asia, Islam and other neighboring religions coming together and putting their heads together? Poet Souad Al Sabah is guiding the way.

– Kim Myeong-ja, Former Minister of Environment

Women were given the right to participate in the government in Kuwait as of 2005. This was possible due to one humanist and philanthropist, Princess Souad Al Sabah. Thus, I was even more interested to read her book of poetry. A few years ago, I visited Iran and Pakistan as a congresswoman. I was quite surprised that as a foreign woman, I was required to follow their customs and wear a chador. Yet, after reading a few chapters of Souad Al Sabah’s book of poetry, I could clearly feel how deep the pit of her suffering and agony was. Her ‘trials’ are of the despair and catastrophe of denominational strife and her ‘prayer’ is the earnest request for God to receive her prayers, submission and respect. When reading her poem, “Lift up the torch,” I melted in warm tears of hope and dreams.
Tears became the wailing blood flowing down in order to reveal suppressed truth. Wake up and face the truth before even more time passes. Even though I cannot fully know of her suffering, I pray that her prayer be heard and that she may be comforted even if a little.

– Kim Jong-soo, Pastor at Mokpo Sandoll Church

My pen is the lover I have been longing for. I wrapped and embraced you in my fingers.
The ink happily cried from my hand and due to Allah’s grace I could write and sing.
Was it Dalai Lama who spoke the words, “the world’s greatest religion is not Christianity, Buddhism or Islam, but kindness?” I was reminded once again of these words as I read Souad Al Sabah’s poems. This is the grace of the same God I call “El” and the God called “Allah.” If compassion is God’s inside, kindness is his outside. I am awed by the greatness of the pen.
Compassion is the religion that can save us all. I would like to confess that I felt very happy to be living in the same era with this woman who goes beyond war, competition, discrimination, oppression, polarization and sings the song of peace and sharing. Her song of suffering gave me the power to deeply embrace my divided nation and the hostile world as “the sorrow of my love, the longing of my limits, the screaming of my pain, and the moaning of my love.”

– Jin Yang-hye, Announcer

Souad Al Sabah’s language is the starlight in the desert.
Stars shine in the moment of isolation, helplessness and despair.
It is a love that will never betray hope.

– Kim Kyung-sik, Korean Ambassador to Kuwait

After the recipients of the Manhae Awards were announced, an employee at the Korean embassy in Kuwait invited me to his palace and served me lunch. All throughout lunch, I could feel humanity’s deep love and consideration expressed in her poems through his actions. Poet Souad Al Sabah is not only a well-known and respected poetess in Kuwait, but also throughout the Middle East region. Her poems about love for women and humanity are especially loved by Kuwaiti youth. Her passion to protect the weak in society can be felt through the strong and powerful expressions in her poems.
Souad Al Sabah’s book of poetry provided me with a great opportunity to taste Arab culture and to get a sense of Souad Al Sabah’s understanding of women’s rights and peace for humanity.