لئن كان الشاعر كامل كيلاني، رحمه الله، قد صرف من مخزون دهشته حيال قطار لم تتجاوز سرعته (60) كليومتراً في الساعة وقتذاك، ورفع سقف استحالة اللحاق به إلى مقام الجن والسحرة، بقوله:
هَيْهاتَ، هَيْهاتَ، لا جِنٌّ ولا سَحَرَهْ
بِقادِرِينَ عَلَى أَنْ يَلْحَقُوا أَثَرَهُ!
فما عساه يقول، أو يقول غيره من الشعراء والنظّامين، وقد كشفت الصين عن نموذج مطوّر لقطار ركاب تصل سرعته إلى (600) كيلومتر في الساعة، يعمل بتقنية الوسادة المغناطيسية «Maglev» فائقة التوصيل، ونظام تعليق مزدوج، يسمح له بالتحليق مغناطيسيًا عند تجاوز سرعة (150) كيلومترًا في الساعة، مما يقلل الاحتكاك ويزيد من كفاءة التشغيل، ومادته خليط من سبائك الألومنيوم وألياف الكربون، بما يكسبه خفة في الوزن وصلابة ومتانة.
فأي مفردات «الدهشة» قادرة على توصيف هذه السرعة الأرضية التي تفوق السابحات في الهواء من الطائرات.
فتح جديد في عالم النقل والمواصلات يعيد طرح أسئلة وجودية في غاية القلق والحيرة، جماعها في سؤال مركزي مفاده إلى أين يفضي بنا هذا اللهاث؟
وكم ربحنا وكم خسرنا من هذا الطراد؟
سيكسب عالم الاقتصاد والمال بلا جدال، وسيكسب معه كل مجال يمثّل عامل الزمن فيه الدالة الأساسية، والقيمة المشتركة، لكن بالمقابل ستسقط من الذاكرة متعة السفر، وما يكتسبه الإنسان من تجربته، وما ينتج عن ذلك من مسرودات وأدب وتجارب في المتعة غاية، وفي الجمال مكان علي
هذا ما ألمح إليه الطيب صالح، في كتابه «منسي» محاولاً أن يقف في منتصف المسافة بين تحقيق الغاية من التطور وإبقاء الجانب الإنساني حاضرًا بكل ما يحمله من قيم ومذخورات، يقول: «لو كان لي من الأمر شيء، لربطت العالم العربي كله، من طنجة إلى مسقط، ومن اللاذقية إلى نيالا، بشبكة من السكك الحديدية مثل قطارات الـT.V.G السريعة في فرنسا، وقطارات الـBullit في اليابان.
الإنسان الذي كان يسير الشهر والشهرين بالبعير، من صنعاء إلى مكة، لماذا قفز فجأة لهذه الوسيلة الجنونية؟
المطارات مهما بلغت، تبدو شيئًا موقّتًا. محطّات السكك الحديدية لها طعم آخر وسحر خاص.
المحطّات الخلوية والمناظر المتنوّعة. تعرف أنك قد قمت من مكان ووصلت إلى مكان، تنام وتقرأ وتصادف أصنافًا من خلق الله. ليس مثل الطائرة. تغمض وتفتح فإذا أنت قد انتقلت من حال إلى حال».
حُقَّ للطيب صالح أن يقلق، فلن يكون بوسعه مع هذا القطار الصيني الجديد، أن يقف متأملًا، أو أن يغذّي ذاكرته من المكان، أو أن يشخذ خياله من تأمل الناس، وبناء علاقات معها، أو أن يقرأ، أو أن يمارس إي فعل إنساني نبيل، شأنه شأن من يستغل الطائرة. وحاله سيكون حال كافة المبدعين، فالسرعة نقيض التريث والتأمل، وضد عمل «الذاكرة»، التي هي مناط الإبداع، ومركز بواعث الحنين والشجن والمشاعر المتقلبات، على هذا سارت منذ القدم وإلى اليوم، منذ أن مهّد لها الملك الضليل؛ امرؤ القيس، بفاتحة قوله:
قِفَا نَبْكِ مِنْ ذِكْرَى حَبِيبٍ ومَنْزِلِ
بِسِقْطِ اللِّوَى بَيْنَ الدَّخُول فَحَوْملِ
فوطّأ لغيره معارج الحنين، وعبّد لهم الطريق إلى مسالك الشجن، فمن ريث الوقوف على الأطلال إلى إبطاء السير في مفاوز الرحلة، ومن تؤدة إلى ظعن متراخٍ، وحتى من كان على عجلة من أمره، وحاجة إلى الإسراع، لم يفته حظ الوقوف بأطلال الحبيبة ورسمها الدارس، وذاك شأن الحكيم المتنبي، وقد وصف حال قلقه بالقول:
بَليتُ بِلى الأَطلالِ إِن لَم أَقِف بِها
وُقوفَ شَحيحٍ ضاعَ في التَربِ خاتَمُه
كَئيبًا تَوَقّاني العَواذِلُ في الهَوى
كَما يَتَوَقّى رَيِّضَ الخَيلِ حازِمُه
قِفي تَغرَمِ الأَولى مِنَ اللَحظِ مُهجَتي
بِثانِيَةٍ وَالمُتلِفُ الشَيءَ غارِمُه
حنانيك يا «متنبي» ما عاد في الوقت متسع لوقفة، وقد أخذت السرعة بخطام أيامنا، فلا ريث ولا مكث ولا روية، كأننا نطارد وهمًا، كأننا نتسابق في «لا شيء»، كأننا نلاحق ما لا يدرك، ونستدني ما لا يقترب، وكل يوم تضمحل ذواكرنا، وتنمحي من الخاطر الذكريات، ونعيش الحياة بفقه الـ«Take away»، من طعامنا وشرابنا إلى ملبسنا ومرقدنا، وكل مستهلكاتنا اليومية،
نبحث عن الجديد لغايات عبثية.
فقبل أن تفك مغلاق حديث، حتى يُفاجِئُك ما هو أحدث منه في عالم التكنولوجيا، فتلقي بما في يدك وتهرع إليه..
ولا تركب سريًا حتى تمتطئ ما هو أسرع منه. وهكذا في الطراد والسباق المحموم.
ولا شيء يوقف هذه المسبحة الكارة المنفرطة..
والصين تمضي بنا مع عالمها المجنون إلى قطار يمسح ذاكرتك، ويبلغك هدفك قبل أن تقوم من مكانك..
فإلى أين ينتهي بنا هذا اللهاث المتلاحق؟!
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
If the poet Kamel Kilani, may God rest his soul, expressed his astonishment at a train that did not exceed a speed of 60 kilometers per hour at that time, and raised the impossibility of catching up with it to the level of jinn and sorcerers, saying:
“Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, no jinn nor sorcerers
capable of following its trail!”
What then can he or other poets and writers say, now that China has unveiled an advanced model of a passenger train that reaches speeds of 600 kilometers per hour, operating with superconducting magnetic levitation technology, and a dual suspension system that allows it to hover magnetically once it exceeds a speed of 150 kilometers per hour, thus reducing friction and increasing operational efficiency? Its material is a mixture of aluminum alloys and carbon fibers, giving it lightness in weight, strength, and durability.
What vocabulary of “astonishment” can adequately describe this ground speed that surpasses that of aircraft soaring in the air?
A new opening in the world of transportation raises existential questions filled with anxiety and confusion, all centered around the question: where is this relentless pursuit leading us?
And how much have we gained and how much have we lost from this pursuit?
The world of economics and finance will undoubtedly benefit, along with every field where time is the fundamental variable and shared value. However, on the flip side, the joy of travel will fade from memory, along with what a person gains from their experiences, and the narratives, literature, and experiences of pleasure and beauty will diminish.
This is what Tayeb Salih hinted at in his book "The Wedding of Zein," attempting to find a middle ground between achieving the goal of development and keeping the human aspect present with all its values and treasures. He says: “If I had any say in the matter, I would connect the entire Arab world, from Tangier to Muscat, and from Latakia to Nyala, with a network of railways like the TGV trains in France and the Bullet trains in Japan.
The human who used to travel for a month or two by camel from Sana'a to Mecca, why did he suddenly leap to this insane means?
No matter how advanced, airports seem temporary. Train stations have a different taste and a special charm.
The cellular stations and diverse landscapes. You know that you have departed from one place and arrived at another, you sleep and read and encounter various creations of God. It’s not like the airplane. You close your eyes and open them, and suddenly you have moved from one state to another.”
It is rightful for Tayeb Salih to be concerned, for with this new Chinese train, he will not be able to stand in contemplation, or nourish his memory from the place, or sharpen his imagination from observing people and building relationships with them, or read, or engage in any noble human act, just like those who take advantage of the airplane. His situation will be that of all creators, for speed is the antithesis of stillness and contemplation, and against the workings of “memory,” which is the essence of creativity, and the center of the sources of nostalgia, sadness, and fluctuating emotions. This has been the case since ancient times and continues to this day, ever since the misguided king, Imru' al-Qais, paved the way for nostalgia with the opening of his verse:
“Stop, let us weep for the memory of a beloved and a dwelling
at the foot of the hill between the entrance and the exit.”
He made it easier for others to ascend the heights of longing and paved the way for them to paths of sorrow, from the pause at the ruins to the slow pace in the vastness of the journey, and from deliberation to leisurely travel. Even those in a hurry and needing to rush did not miss the chance to pause at the ruins of the beloved and sketch them in their memory. This is the case of the wise Al-Mutanabbi, who described his state of anxiety by saying:
“I am afflicted by the ruins if I do not stop by them,
and the stopping of a miser who lost his ring in the soil.
Sad, I am avoided by the reproachers in love,
as the horse's rider avoids the rain.
Stop, you who take the first glance from my soul,
for a second, and the one who destroys the thing is the one who pays.”
Take it easy, O “Mutanabbi,” for there is no time left for a pause, as speed has taken the reins of our days, so there is no delay, no lingering, no reflection, as if we are chasing an illusion, as if we are racing in “nothing,” as if we are pursuing the unattainable, and every day our memories fade, and the recollections vanish from our minds, and we live life with the philosophy of “Take away,” from our food and drink to our clothing and resting places, and all our daily consumables,
searching for the new for trivial purposes.
Before you can even finish a conversation, something newer surprises you in the world of technology, prompting you to drop what you have in your hand and rush towards it..
And you do not ride a vehicle until you mount something faster than it. Thus, in the pursuit and the frantic race.
And nothing stops this relentless, spiraling bead string...
And China is leading us with its crazy world to a train that wipes your memory and reaches your destination before you even rise from your place...
So where does this relentless pursuit lead us?!
“Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, no jinn nor sorcerers
capable of following its trail!”
What then can he or other poets and writers say, now that China has unveiled an advanced model of a passenger train that reaches speeds of 600 kilometers per hour, operating with superconducting magnetic levitation technology, and a dual suspension system that allows it to hover magnetically once it exceeds a speed of 150 kilometers per hour, thus reducing friction and increasing operational efficiency? Its material is a mixture of aluminum alloys and carbon fibers, giving it lightness in weight, strength, and durability.
What vocabulary of “astonishment” can adequately describe this ground speed that surpasses that of aircraft soaring in the air?
A new opening in the world of transportation raises existential questions filled with anxiety and confusion, all centered around the question: where is this relentless pursuit leading us?
And how much have we gained and how much have we lost from this pursuit?
The world of economics and finance will undoubtedly benefit, along with every field where time is the fundamental variable and shared value. However, on the flip side, the joy of travel will fade from memory, along with what a person gains from their experiences, and the narratives, literature, and experiences of pleasure and beauty will diminish.
This is what Tayeb Salih hinted at in his book "The Wedding of Zein," attempting to find a middle ground between achieving the goal of development and keeping the human aspect present with all its values and treasures. He says: “If I had any say in the matter, I would connect the entire Arab world, from Tangier to Muscat, and from Latakia to Nyala, with a network of railways like the TGV trains in France and the Bullet trains in Japan.
The human who used to travel for a month or two by camel from Sana'a to Mecca, why did he suddenly leap to this insane means?
No matter how advanced, airports seem temporary. Train stations have a different taste and a special charm.
The cellular stations and diverse landscapes. You know that you have departed from one place and arrived at another, you sleep and read and encounter various creations of God. It’s not like the airplane. You close your eyes and open them, and suddenly you have moved from one state to another.”
It is rightful for Tayeb Salih to be concerned, for with this new Chinese train, he will not be able to stand in contemplation, or nourish his memory from the place, or sharpen his imagination from observing people and building relationships with them, or read, or engage in any noble human act, just like those who take advantage of the airplane. His situation will be that of all creators, for speed is the antithesis of stillness and contemplation, and against the workings of “memory,” which is the essence of creativity, and the center of the sources of nostalgia, sadness, and fluctuating emotions. This has been the case since ancient times and continues to this day, ever since the misguided king, Imru' al-Qais, paved the way for nostalgia with the opening of his verse:
“Stop, let us weep for the memory of a beloved and a dwelling
at the foot of the hill between the entrance and the exit.”
He made it easier for others to ascend the heights of longing and paved the way for them to paths of sorrow, from the pause at the ruins to the slow pace in the vastness of the journey, and from deliberation to leisurely travel. Even those in a hurry and needing to rush did not miss the chance to pause at the ruins of the beloved and sketch them in their memory. This is the case of the wise Al-Mutanabbi, who described his state of anxiety by saying:
“I am afflicted by the ruins if I do not stop by them,
and the stopping of a miser who lost his ring in the soil.
Sad, I am avoided by the reproachers in love,
as the horse's rider avoids the rain.
Stop, you who take the first glance from my soul,
for a second, and the one who destroys the thing is the one who pays.”
Take it easy, O “Mutanabbi,” for there is no time left for a pause, as speed has taken the reins of our days, so there is no delay, no lingering, no reflection, as if we are chasing an illusion, as if we are racing in “nothing,” as if we are pursuing the unattainable, and every day our memories fade, and the recollections vanish from our minds, and we live life with the philosophy of “Take away,” from our food and drink to our clothing and resting places, and all our daily consumables,
searching for the new for trivial purposes.
Before you can even finish a conversation, something newer surprises you in the world of technology, prompting you to drop what you have in your hand and rush towards it..
And you do not ride a vehicle until you mount something faster than it. Thus, in the pursuit and the frantic race.
And nothing stops this relentless, spiraling bead string...
And China is leading us with its crazy world to a train that wipes your memory and reaches your destination before you even rise from your place...
So where does this relentless pursuit lead us?!


