Etymology of Borders
BORDER, from the Middle English bordure, meaning “the decorative band
surrounding a shield,” a heraldic device intended to identify
possession — this flag flies over that land, & so this land belongs
to… But before belong became “to be the property of,”
there was no belonging: belong simply meant “to go along with,”
as if to be told a joke that goes on too long. Both long & belong
derive from the Old English langian — “to yearn after, grieve for,
be pained, lengthen” as hours & distance do, both stretching
long past where borders mark their end. Borders are only
a device, after all, & device comes from the French
devis, meaning “an expressed intent or desire; a plan or design,”
design indicating not art but intentions, which we find
in the Latin divido, “to divide.” A continent is divided
into countries — country coming from the Latin contra,
“opposite, against,” as if to be of one place is to be
against another, or perhaps against all others,
property & possession of the flag whose shadow stretches
long across its land. Which side of the border you’re born on
defines where it is you belong, what devis & designs
are allowed to you, in which direction you yearn.
In which direction do you yearn? Does your country’s flag
wrap around you like an embrace or a shroud?
Decorate or divide you? There are only ever two options —
where you are or somewhere else —
but the border’s blade between slices them into infinite
cruelties, so thin you can see straight through
to the other side.
by Jaz Sufi
from Split This Rock
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