A story circulated by his friends holds that a paper was found in his bloody shirt, which contained a last, unfinished, poem. It read: “By my horse / I laid dead on the pavement, homeland slipping away.”
Born on This Day: 9 Poems by Fadwa Tuqan
Palestinian poet and memoirist Fadwa Tuqan (1917-2003) — whose acclaimed autobiography, A Mountainous Journey, was translated to English by Olive E. Kenny and Naomi Shihab Nye — was born on this day in 1917.
Friday Finds: A New Translation of Amal Dunqul’s ‘The Book of Exodus’
"O you, standing on the verge of the massacre, / Brandish your weapons!"
Publication Day: Ramy al-Asheq’s ‘My Heart Became a Bomb’
"We knew the hole that was in the back of the head / would try to swallow up whatever we threw behind us / like a vacuum cleaner"
Friday Finds: Dreams of Iman Mersal and Sargon Boulus
Two new dream poems have recently appeared in translation, online.
Abdellatif Laâbi Wins 2021 Roger Kowalski Award for Collection ‘Presque Riens’
The 7,500 euro prize pays homage to the poet Roger Kowalski (1934-1975) and is awarded annually to a book of poetry by a living poet.
Remembering Mourid: 10 in Translation, Online
A selection from the prose and poetry by Mourid Barghouti available in translation, online.
Friday Finds: Jalal al-Ahmadi in English, Croatian, French, and Italian
Now I sit alone / around a circular table / Now I sit circularly / around myself
Two Poetry Collections from Arabic Make Inaugural Sarah Maguire Prize Shortlist
The winning book will be announced on Thursday, March 25, 2021; the winning poet and translator will share a £3,000 prize.
Friday Finds: Poems from Najwan Darwish’s ‘Exhausted on the Cross’
In it, Zurita opens by quoting from the poem "My Defeated Banner," of which he says that "in its devastating beauty, it represents one of the peak moments of his poetry as well as of the writing of our time."
Upcoming Poetry Translation Centre Workshop, Focus: Mostafa Ibrahim
Places are limited, so organizers ask that those who book arrange to attend both sessions: Tuesday March 16 and Tuesday 23, from 18:30-20:00 GMT.
Monday Poetry: Ghareeb Iskander’s ‘Great Perplexity’
Iraqi poet and scholar Ghareeb Iskander lives and writes in London: Great Perplexity By Ghareeb Iskander Translated by Salma Harland * In translating Derek Walcott, Words stalk Like egrets do In his later poems, Where he wanted To speak of regret But was overshadowed with delight In a frenzy “like a shallop with a staved-in … Continue reading Monday Poetry: Ghareeb Iskander’s ‘Great Perplexity’
