Elias Mokole grew up in the United States, but his cultural history is rich and complicated. It includes, as does that of many people, a story of language lost in an effort for immigrants to “fit in.”
Elias shares two poems with us this morning. The first was written by Mahmoud Darwish and it translates to “The Impossible.”
The second poem is called “Pleasure of Love.” And if you missed it when it was published in 1784, maybe you caught it again in 1961 when it underwent a renaissance.
"L’impossible" by Mahmoud Darwish
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
"Plaisir d'amour" by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
"Plaisir d'amour" sung by Elias Mokole
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio