Description
Book SynopsisCalled "a major innovator in his art form" by "The New York Times", Baghdad-born poet Abdul Wahab Al-Bayati broke with over fifteen centuries of Arabic poetic tradition to write in free verse and became world famous in the process. "Love, Death, and Exile: Poems Translated from Arabic" is a rare, bilingual facing-page edition in both the original Arabic text and a highly praised English translation by Bassam K. Frangieh, containing selections from eight of Al-Bayati's books of poetry. Forced to spend much of his life in exile from his native Iraq, Al-Bayati created poetry that is not only revolutionary and political, but also steeped in mysticism and allusion, moving and full of longing. This collection is a superb introduction to Al-Bayati, Arabic language, and Arabic literature and culture as well. On Al-Bayati's death in 1999, "The New York Times" obituary quoted him as saying once that his many years of absence from his homeland had been a "tormenting experience" that had great impact on his poetry. "I always dream at night that I am in Iraq and hear its heart beating and smell its fragrance carried by the wind, especially after midnight when it's quiet".
Trade Review[Frangieh] has constructed a beautiful and worthy portal for his powerful and accurate portrayal of Al-Bayati the poet through his own words. Al-Bayati's importance as a poet and a voice of modern Arab intellectual culture is successfully transmitted through the selection and translation. We observe his development as a poet, enjoying the development of particular messages, and his play with poetic form... Al-Bayati and Frangieh have given us a most satisfactory read! MESA Bulletin This fine publication will be welcome to specialists in the field and should be a revelation to a wider circle of poetry lovers. Middle East Journal
Table of ContentsPreface Foreword Introduction The Eyes of the Dead Dogs (1969) The CityLament for the June Sun Something About Happiness Writing on Clay (1970) The MagusThe Nightmare of Night and DayElegy to the Unborn CityThree Watercolors Love Poems at the Seven Gates of the World (1971) Eye of the SunAbout Waddah of Yemen&-Love and Death Love Poems at the Seven Gates of the WorldAisha's Mad Lover The Book of the Sea (1973) Metaporphoses of Netrocres in the Book of the Dead The Princess and the GypsyThe Lady of the Seven MoonsThe Lover Autobiography of the Thief of Fire (1974) Labor PainsPoems on Separation and DeathThe EarthquakeThe Gypsy Symphony Shiraz's Moon (1975) For Rafael AlbertiReading From The Book Of Al-Tawasin By Al-HallajDeath and the LampPortrait of the Lover of the Great Bear The Greek PoemI Am Born and Burn in My Love Shiraz's MoonLove Under the Rain The Kingdom of Grain (1979) Light Comes From GranadaFirst Symphony of the Fifth DimensionVariations On The Suffering Of Farid Al-Din Al-AttarI Shall Reveal My Love For You to the Wind and the Trees Aisha's Orchard (1989) Elegy to Khalil HawiFrom the Papers of AishaAnother PaperThe Fire of PoetryFalse CriticsThe Birth in Unborn CitiesThe Blind SingerA Smoke DancerThe BirthAisha's OrchardAisha's ProfileThe DeceiverThe FaceThe Great Wall of ChinaA WomanAl-BasraThe Unknown ManThe PeacockThe PoemA Man and A WomanA Profile of a CitySecret of FireA Conversation of a Stone Glossary
