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The Last Stone: A Review
By way of Prologue
Presentation of "La última piedra" ("The Last Stone")
Sue Littleton has already given proof of her investigative and poetic abilities through her previous books, particularly
her magnificent epic poem Corn Woman. The language of poetry, intrinsically difficult and at the same time ample, is
manipulated masterfully by this American woman-poet who writes not in her mother-tongue, but in a foreign one.
We cannot refer to “The Last Stone” solely from a feminist point of view but as a defence of Women; an appeal in
favour of achieving the same rights as Men have achieved in a society in which a strong and unjust patriarchy prevails.
Narrative and almost epic poetry where the heroine is a beautiful young woman of seventeen whose name we do
not know, sentenced to death by stoning at the hands of the village men, so that the shame for the sin she
has supposedly committed does not fall upon her family. She has dared to love and to have carnal relations
with a young uncle, already married.
The epic aspect is matched with a refined aesthetic and affective lyricism. It is testimonial poetry,
since it records deeds that are still taking place in various Islamic regions: Afghanistan , Egypt ,
North of Africa, Pakistan , Iran , Irak and Saudi Arabia .
The use of the burkha is not specifically mentioned in the Qur’an. It was imposed by the Taliban
in the early XX century, during the reign of Habibullah (1901-1919). It is a proven fact that the
use of the burkha, at first restricted to the higher class and later extended to the whole social
strata, produces health problems to women. Its use has been denounced by the United Nations as a
“symbol of woman’s oppression” on the part of Islam, to be compared with “feminine genital mutilation
,” the “honour assassinations,” ”, i.e., women murdered by their male relatives to protect the honour
of the family and “forced matrimonies.”
The above reasons bestow upon the book the status of a courageous denunciation of the inhuman treatment women
are subjected to in certain societies, “almost as if they were animals,” as has been frequently reported by newspapers the world over.
The poem is written as a tragic two-voice cantata. The lyric ‘I’ embodied in the heroine is expressed in the
first person, adding drama to what it is said. An omniscient voice, appearing with a similarity to the chorus
in Greek tragedies, follows a two-time oscillation, in the third person. In this way the authoress operates
upon two different moments, concocting what seems to be almost a mortuary dance.
Free verse of a great poetic beauty appears here and there, such as:
"Ah, how deliciously life lay on my tongue,
fragrant and sweet as rose petal jam."
…………………………………………
"the last flickering stars"
But the authoress does not neglect giving a realistic picture of the site of the girl’s death:
"A cringing mongrel sniffs at its base
and lifts his hind leg gingerly into the air
to urinate."
The family social status is a high one; her father owned many properties and the story takes place in
a traditional village which obstinately adheres to the local Mullah’s interpretation of the doctrines
of the Qu’ran. Her father is considered modern by his daughter: “because he would not allow his daughters’ circumcision at thirteen”.
Nor has he demanded the custom of ‘jabhar’, minors being delivered to matrimony without their consent.
And he had married three women and not four, as was his right according to the Qu’ran. The protagonist’s
mother had only given her husband three daughters, unlike Sa’ude, his first wife, who had given birth
to male children.
The description of the protagonist is performed by means of beautiful images, comparisons and metaphors:
(...)"with a phantom regret in her eyes"
(...)"my blacksilk dark hair"
(...)"my eyes were soft grey,
shimmering and changing as the feathers
of the wings of my pet dove,
and my lips were red as the flesh
of the pomegranate."
The young woman had “a mild and pleasing temper”; the servants in the household spoke of her exquisiteness
and beauty. Even metaphors and personifications appear at the site of the stoning:
"The horizon cups the dawn in a golden melon
as the earliest rays of the sun blindly finger
the naked pole"
…………………………………………
"a flash of mica sparks
and winks (...)”
Fatima, Sa’ude’s only daughter had been born with a withered leg. She was always in a bad mood and
mistreated the maids. About her the protagonist says:
"When she looked at me,
cold demons danced behind her eyes."
Fatima was older than the protagonist, had always been jealous of her little sister, and took pleasure in making the child cry.
"My mother would frown at the ugly,
crescent-shaped bruises"
This girl’s sisters were Khadyay and Zubaida, who scolded Fatima for her behaviour with their sister.
By not giving the heroine a name, the authoress makes the protagonist universal. She tells us that
as a small girl the heroine’s favourite gifts were
"… the oranges, round and bright
as the full moon when she first lifts her laughing face"
All the village men approach the site of the execution carrying stones. The authoress describes everyday
life in a traditional village of Afghanistan , Irak , Nigeria or Saudi Arabia:
"My sisters and I rarely went beyond
the doors of our house;
when we did,
we were shrouded in black from head to foot,
cloaked equally in obscurity."
The Ramadan is mentioned, as well as the celebration when fasting is over, the Id-al-Fitr, the End of Fasting Feast.
The girl’s young uncles took part in it; they had been playmates and had studied together the ‘suras’ (verses)
of the Qu’ran. The young men would talk about politics and sports; on the whole they did not look at the girls,
with the exception of Reza, her mother’s youngest brother. Reza is three years her senior; he used to bring her
presents. He was a youngster with an education, who had had relatively advanced schooling– while his father
allowed it. Reza makes a journey to Mecca and becomes a ‘hajji’, the preparation that opens his way to marriage.
The marriage takes place, but Reza continues to visit his sister’s home. The encounters between the young couple
became increasingly passionate; first, a closeness, then a kiss, and finally carnal access under the old fig tree
in the garden. Our heroine is conscious of her ‘guilt’ because she is unable to resist her love for Reza. She
is sentenced to die by stoning, since Fatima has followed the two young people and tells her brothers, which
is how her shame becomes known. The girl’s only fear is not being able to answer God when she is brought
before Him. She is veiled all in white for her death, gagged to stifle her screams or her pleas. The village
men begin throwing stones at her bound figure and at a final stone causes her death. Instead of punishment
she is welcomed into the Paradise of her dreams. Let us listen to her voice, for our rejoicing:
Celestial voices surround me,
exalt me;
there is no more pain, nor fear,
nor shame.
I am welcomed into Paradise .
His great mercy enfolds me,
the grace of His love fills me,
and I am at peace.
Powerful poetry, written without lessening the impact, overflowing with truths that envelop us and leave a bittersweet taste in our mouths.
Susana Boéchat (Argentine)
Poet, narrator and essayist.
Email: Susana Boéchat via Sue Littleton
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