Poet of the Fortnight #10: nourayasmine (Oct 19 - Nov 2)

The lovely Noura has been randomly selected as our 10th Poet of the Fortnight (PotF)! Noura is a young and talented Syrian woman and recent college graduate who has been a stalwart member and poet of PnQ for many years. She is my dear friend. Her poetry is beautiful, powerful, and insightful -- do yourself a favor and check it out.
Please welcome Noura to her own special thread, and be sure to read her latest poem posted just below:

----
Victory

We all thought
this homeland had died.
I believed we were centuries away from
tasting happiness again.

Then 200.000 Syrians gathered in the center
of every city to witness the smallest of
victories,
to witness jasmines growing from the debris.
Guns were silenced for two hours,
the soldiers put down their rifles
and turned on the TV for two hours,

until the match was over.

200.000 farmers and teachers
and prostitutes and children
and mothers and lovers.
200.000 orphans and refugees.

Now, I've never really liked football
but I was cheering too,
cheering mostly for those
200.000 broken hearts
beating with hope and prayer.

It felt like victory.
----

Noura, please fill out this public survey when you find time. You can pass any question/prompt in this thread, just write "Pass." I will ask 10 questions total throughout the next 2 weeks, and members of the community are encouraged to participate by asking questions of their own. Here's the survey:

Real name:
Meaning behind your PnQ name:
Birth place:
Languages spoken:
When you discovered PnQ and why you joined:
Favorite poet(s):
Book you are currently reading:
Song you last listened to:
Inspirations for writing:
5 truths about yourself:

Yaay, my thread! Thank you, Jane. So lucky to be your friend!

Real name: Nour
Meaning behind your PnQ name: My ex used to call me Jasmine.
Birth place: Damascus
Languages spoken: Arabic, English, French (not fluent), Russian (not fluent). Next Sunday, I will take my first German lesson! I took a few lessons before but I had to stop, so I could study for finals.
When you discovered PnQ and why you joined: 2009, I think? At first, I joined because I wanted to be fluent in English, (English isn't my first language). But then I found out I really like poetry! So I started writing.
Favorite poet(s): An Arabic poet, Mahmoud Darwish
Book you are currently reading: Re-reading The Autumn of the Patriarch by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Also reading a scientific book about the chemical composition of insect venoms.
Song you last listened to: I don't remember, but probably an Iraqi song...
Inspirations for writing: Nature, I guess.
5 truths about yourself:
1- I'm very lazy. I find it very hard to do the simple household chores, and I always make excuses to do them later.
2- I'm a nerd. I can stay at home for a whole month, doing nothing but reading about quantum physics.
3- I love insects. All kinds of insects.
4- I can paint. Sort of. Depending on how much I like the person I'm painting.
5- I fear cats. SO MUCH.

What is the relationship between your speaking voice and written voice?

How to create amazing something from virtually nothing?

As far as poetry is concerned, What to do when pursuit of product kills the pleasure of the process?

How glad to see old familiar faces on the board again

Yay, love this and you, Noura! <3

Wonderful choice!

Noura,
Nerd talk question: Hawkins: He wrote an absurd estimation that the universe would contract reversing time, then he changed it in later writings suggesting that even if the contraction occurred, time would go forward. How do you think existence will play out?

When you first started you spent considerable time in the Flowing River club. What are your feeelings about the demise and deletion of that club?

You obviously write much of your war experiences. What is the current status of your living area? Is it jeopardized? Are you likely safe? Is the war removed (temporarily)?

What got you into science? Quantum physics and all? And how long has that been something you've enjoyed?

You say you love all insects; is there one that is your favorite?

Do you follow Adrian Kozakiewicz on social media?

What is your dream job once you finish all your studies?

Do you think you will work in each of the countries where you have learnt their languages in Russia, Germany Spain and the UK?

What is your dream job once you finish all your studies?
To work in my own lab and discover new things.

Do you think you will work in each of the countries where you have learnt their languages in Russia, Germany Spain and the UK?
Yeah, I'm positive I will someday. I really wish I was born in Russia. I hope I'll have the chance to live there oneday. My only hope is getting a master degree scholarship. But honestly, I'd live ANYWHERE outside Syria.

What got you into science? Quantum physics and all? And how long has that been something you've enjoyed?
Ever since I took my first physics class, (I was in 7th grade, I guess?), I fell in love with it. I wanted to learn as much of it as possible, but I had nobody to tell me which books I should read or where to start from. So later, I kind of lost interest. Then I chose to study chemistry and in my first year of college, I met a girl who was OBSESSED with quantum physics, and she taught me almost everything I needed to know before I could start reading and researching on my own. And now that I graduated, I will be working on getting a PhD in quantum chemistry.

You say you love all insects; is there one that is your favorite?
Cockroaches. Makes me sad that nobody likes them.

Do you follow Adrian Kozakiewicz on social media?
I wasn't following him. But now I am!

Nerd talk question: Hawkins: He wrote an absurd estimation that the universe would contract reversing time, then he changed it in later writings suggesting that even if the contraction occurred, time would go forward. How do you think existence will play out?

Well, I don't think our universe is contracting at all at any point. The universe actually is expanding at an accelerated rate. The fact that our universe hasn't reached the thermal equilibrium state yet (and I don't think it ever will) made Hawking think of the arrow of time. But physically it's not possible for time to go backwards. It would go against all laws of physics. So yeah, time will always be moving forward, I guess, and the universe will keep expanding.

When you first started you spent considerable time in the Flowing River club. What are your feeelings about the demise and deletion of that club?
It was the club that made me love PnQ! I got to meet really nice and supporting people. I didn't know honestly that the club was deleted. I stopped reading the forums much recently. So sad to know that. :(

You obviously write much of your war experiences. What is the current status of your living area? Is it jeopardized? Are you likely safe? Is the war removed (temporarily)?
I live in the safest city in Syria. But a car gets bombed every once in a while, people could easily get kidnapped at night, shootings might happen... etc. But thankfully I am not near the regions that ISIS occupies.

Love you too. Muah.

Glad to see you're back, too!

What is the relationship between your speaking voice and written voice?
Didn't really get this question. Sorry :(

How to create amazing something from virtually nothing?
Painting.

As far as poetry is concerned, What to do when pursuit of product kills the pleasure of the process?
I stop writing and never force myself, then come back later when I feel like it.

Hi Noura ;-)
What is your favourite taste, smell and sound?

Kitty =^.^=

Hi, Kitty!
Favourite taste: Taste of red wine, and taste of lemon, and mangoes.
Favourite smell: Ah so many. Smell of jasmines, pineapple, cucumber, acetic acid (not concentrated). And the smell of babies. I really like the smell of babies.
Favourite sound: Gushing water.

Yes Painting.
All the best!

If you could have any super power what would it be and why?

I really wish I could know what happens to us after we die. So curious about that!

I love Mahmoud Darwish I use to read his translations they are so beautiful
I remember once he said something to this affect When my land is in captivity even the flower are beautiful no more. ( sorry if is too different I read it 28 years ago in other language)
First do you remember such thing
Second do you feel that way about the flower of your country?

Um, no, I guess, I don't remembering reading it. What I love about this poet is his immense love for his homeland despite all the prejudice and poverty and oppression he endured. I can't say I'm as loyal as him. I'll leave Syria asap, and start a new life somewhere else. Though I love it, and I'm sure I'll always feel nostalgic, and think it's the most beautiful country in the world.

First I envy you for all those languages . Did you know German is the language of Philosophy? Ha ha I would even exchange my mother tongue for that ( or not :) :) ). Now that you are this good at this why not Latin? It is a root language!
Why is that you are so interested in learning so many languages?
Do you write poetry in your own tongue? If you do , are they as advance as you English ones?
Is there any other language that you could write poetry beside these two?
Are you familiar to French poetry? If yes any particular poet?

"physically it's not possible for time to go backwards" quoted from you
I agree
Just for the fun of it:
Imagine how it would be biologically? "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" would no more be curious :) :) Organic components would dissolve to there chemical basses...
And how would it affect consciousness? ( if we imagine when universe contracts it would revere time making it go backward.) It means universe would diffuse from consciousness to simple awareness, and from awareness to reflect and from reflection perhaps to sort of singularity. We un-learn everything we know ( already) from the end, that now is the beginning.

Yes, ddavidd, it shocked me when I read Hawking's suggestion, that such a man would possibly consider it. I see his underlying point, though, if not the results. Either we continue to expand and eventually the universe ends in entropy or there is enough mass to halt the expansion somewhere in the next several billion years and the universe could contract, ending in a fireball and then singularity.

Noura, have you further thoughts on the subject, especially how dark matter and dark energy fit into the potentials?

Latin, Persian and Sanskrit are on the list, too! If I could spend my life learning languages, I wouldn't mind. I don't know why I love this, really. It might be the only thing I'm good at. I have SO many books (inherited from my father) written in different languages, and I hope I can read them all one day.

I wrote a couple of poems in Arabic, yes, but I stopped because I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing in English. And they weren't that good. And I wouldn't want anyone (IRL) to find them and read them, ugh, so awkward. So I keep my thoughts hidden here on PnQ.

No, I can't write in French and I don't remember reading French poetry. If you have a favourite poet, I might give it a try though!

I am so flattered that you like to learn Persian. I think you are one of the kinds. I really know why you want to learn Russian against all the controversies of what there action was in Syria, I think they were the only source that defeated ISIS.
My favorite poet in French language is Paul Eluard. His poetry mesmerises me. I also like Arthur Rimbaud

I am familiar with the entropy but several billion years? haha If we are talking that far in time we are free to speculate as we please. "Ending in a fire ball and then singularity" very interesting, food for thoughts. Thanks for sharing dear Larry.

Edited

I can't even imagine it happening. Like how could a homogenous mixture transforms into the subtances it was consisted of? Or mixed gases unmix? Things that have happened go on in reverse? Lungs exhaling oxygen and inhaling CO2? It just doesn't make sense.
Time cannot be moving backwards because time is a dimension without flow.

And let's suppose that the universe will be contracting in the end. I'll explain my point using my professor's example. We have the cartesian graph plane, and the point (0.0) resembles the big bang when the universe started to expand, the point of singularity. It will continue expanding until it reaches the thermal equilibrium, the highest point, let's say it's settled in (1.1). Then the universe contracts, but it won't necessarily go back to point (0.0).

And it's also possible that the expansion happening now is a result of a previous contracting phase. The big bang might have been a big crunch instead that led to singularity.

Larry, I'll write my thoughts tomorrow morning. I'm typing on my phone right now, so annoying. Sorry!

"reaches the thermal equilibrium"
I do not understand how do we know there is such a point. Why not expanding forever, since we do not know what resulted the expanding in the first place? We can just assume the expansion was as the result of contraction of another expansion or eternal regression of contractions back and forth as the sequences of cause and effect. I say this because the physic or astronomy are not my specialities. But I agree with your professor: when it contracts, it may jerk to another point in the cartesian coordinate system, not even evenly like (1.1), let say like ( 2.5) as an example. For as there is not guaranty to contract exactly to the point of origin, as there is not, to do it, evenly or squarely.

"because time is a dimension without flow"
Even though I agree with your conclusion in this over all, I need to explain: dimension is a concept, that is why we can separate it from another concepts such as flowing... otherwise in reality such separation do not exist. Space and time, or time-space are only recognizable trough out motion ( flow). The abstraction of the universalities are only happening in our minds ( science, art and philosophy). For example a general tree, or desk, or... has never existed, except in our minds. All the trees, desks... are concrete, (this or that tree, desk...). We draw the universality ( likeness) out of likewise objects or even phenomena, and name them as tree, desk..., or dimension and flow...

It was pleasure learning from you Noura .

"I do not understand how do we know there is such a point. Why not expanding forever, since we do not know what resulted the expanding in the first place?"

Temperature is a measure of the speed of particles. At high temperatures, particles move fast that they're able to escape the attraction toward each other (expansion). But when they move, they lose their heat, and as they cool off, they attract each other and start to clump together (contracting). So, the thermal equilibrium state is the point the contracting starts.

Thank you, ddavidd! It was nice chatting with you.

I would love to chat with you and Larry on this and learn more. But I must put to action what I've learned in this conversation and contract like a little good universe.
I wish the other members would participate in this kinds of conversations that involve challenging ourselves to learn and unshackle our mental limits and tolerance for different views. I know it did helped me.

You have my blessing dear Noura.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this conversation. I would contribute, but it's really not something I know much about :) Also, it's fun to pick Noura's brain, isn't it? She is so incredibly smart and talented! Noura, I also just loved reading your favorite tastes, smells, and sounds. You know your own mind.

Okay, I better start asking questions before I run out of time.

Question #1: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Envision yourself there for us.
Question #2: What are some beliefs you hold about humanity, and how have these beliefs grown or changed in the past 5-ish years?
Question #3: If you could instantly be the master of any new skill, what would you choose? (Not a magical power, but a real skill).

What is it about the English language that makes it more desirable to write poetry in it rather than your native language?

You're just so sweet <3

Q1: Um, I dunno. Hooopefully studying in ITMO University, living with my boyfriend in our OWN apartment, making new friends, planning to visit Greece in the summer, adopting a couple of dogs... hmm, what else. Yeah, hitting the gym and losing some weight (this might take much more than 5 years).

Q2: If you asked me this question two years ago, my answer would have been completely different. I've witnessed so much anger and hate, and injustice, people mercilessly killing other people and getting away with it, while innocent people end up behind the bars. And I started thinking that humanity is inherently evil and undeserving of life. But later, I've met humans who have been through much worse than me, and still are good-hearted and generous and thankful, and they helped me so much, even though they needed help themselves. I think there will always be wars and death and wickedness, but because such people exist, peace will finally prevail.

Q3: Singing. I really, really like to sing. I sing while I cook or take a shower, and I wish I had a beautiful singing voice. My friends find my voice annoying, and my puppy tilts his head in disagreement when I sing to him.

I really don't know! I feel so much comfortable when I write in English, and that I could describe how I feel without forcing the words. Maybe it's because I got used to writing poetry only on PnQ? I don't know.

It's so interesting that you like cockroaches!! I'm usually terrified of bugs if i can't see them and they're crawling on me. Owning reptiles has actually helped me appreciate insects more than I thought I would. Oddly enough, roaches are one of my favorite insects to breed. I haven't had the chance to catch the females drop babies, but it's still kind of a fun process. I still don't have the courage to hold one or even touch them, but maybe one day! Lol

Glad you're following Adrian! He's awesome LOL

Now a question:
If you could live with ONLY ONE of your five senses, which would it be and why?

Great answers. Okay, now we're really running out of time! Time to blast off 4 questions today and 3 tomorrow.

Question #4: What is the last dream (or nightmare) you remember having while asleep?
Question #5: Why do we dream? Do you think dreams have meaning?
Question #6: Do you eventually want to get married and/or have children?
Question #7: What two questions would you ask to get the most information about who a person truly is?

Noura,
As the concerted efforts by many parties against Isis are now entering the final stages, the disparate alliances are falling apart. It appears there will be renewed struggle for control of Syria. There is already much conflict around you, which I get the impression is indirectly related to the wars. Is that correct?
Do you feel safe where you are?
Do you think the area around you will become an active battleground?

Are you in regular contact with your sister? Is she safe?

I like reptiles too! What kind of reptiles do you have?
Yeah, Adrian is so weird I like him.

Ah, I'd pick my sight. It would be really hard for me to be unable to hear or touch things, but it's waaay easier than losing my sight. I can't imagine living without reading books or watching movies or enjoying nature. So yeah, my sight!