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I haven't come to you only to take , I haven't come to you empty handed : I bring you poetry as great as yours but in anther tongue , I bring you black eyes and golden skin and curly hair , I bring you Islam and Luxor and Alexandria and Lutes and tambourines and date-palms and silk rugs and sunshine and incense and voluptuous ways
Ahdaf Soueif
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the richness of cultural exchange and the beauty of sharing one’s heritage.

Ahdaf Soueif expresses a profound appreciation for cultural diversity and the value of sharing one’s identity and heritage with others. By highlighting the elements of her culture, such as poetry, physical beauty, and rich traditions, she suggests that engagement between different cultures can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation for one another. The act of sharing these integral parts of her identity serves as a bridge, fostering connections and celebrating the uniqueness that each culture brings to the world.

Themes

CultureHeritageDiversityIdentityConnectionPoetry

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be used during a cultural festival to highlight the importance of sharing and celebrating diverse heritages.

More from Ahdaf Soueif

She had been wrong to think it wouldn't matter that much to him, yes,He took her for granted, of course he did , but he took her for granted - not like an old coat in the corner of a dark cupboard, as she'd put it to herself , but like the very air that he breathed .
Ahdaf SoueifRead
It is that happy stretch of time when the lovers set to chronicling their passion. When no glance, no tone of voice is so fleeting but it shines with significance. When each moment, each perception is brought out with care, unfolded like a precious gem from its layers of the softest tissue paper and laid in front of the beloved β€” turned this way and that, examined, considered.
Ahdaf SoueifRead

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Quote by Ahdaf Soueif | QuoteProject