[thearabianights]

My life is tears and a fond heart longing, a book of poetry and a lute

Fadwa Tuqan

[thearabianights]

I confess that I have lived my life: I tasted so many things And forgot thousands more.

Fadhil Al Azzawi

[thearabianights]

In the end, forgetting is nothing but turning a page in the book of life. It may seem an easy matter, but as long as you can’t tear it, you will keep on stumbling upon it between each season of your life.

Nizar Qabbani

[thearabianights]

you might have to look at the link in the bio because there's no posts under the '*' tag and your original posts are also not tagged like that

link has been fixed! thanks for pointing it out <3

[thearabianights]

The days have taught you not to trust happiness because it hurts when it deceives.

Mahmoud Darwish

[thearabianights]

In solitary life, I was a lost question; In the encompassing darkness, my answer was concealed.

Fadwa Tuqan

[thearabianights]

If only the fortune-teller had told me that I would meet you in this labyrinth I would have cried for nothing in this world I would have gathered my tears all my tears for the day when you abandon me

Lamia Abbas Amara

[thearabianights]

I am from there. I am from here. I am not there and I am not here. I have two names, which meet and part, and I have two languages. I forget which of them I dream in.

Mahmoud Darwish

[soracities]

hello! you always have the best recommendations so i was wondering if you could suggest any iraqi poets? hope you’re staying healthy💙

I only know a few, but try:

Saadi Youssef, Nostalgia, My Enemy / Without an Alphabet Without a Face

Dunya Mikhail, The Iraqi Nights / The War Works Hard

Sinan Antoon, The Corpse-Washer

Fadhil Al Azzawi, Miracle Maker: Selected Poems

Nazik Al-Malaika, Revolt Against the Sun: Selected Poetry (I only just found out about this collection so I haven’t read it yet, but so far I’ve loved her other poems)

Badr Shakir al-Sayyab–I don’t know of any full collections in English from him but you can find some of his poems online: “Rain Song” is stunning, and Sinan Antoon has translated 2 others here.)

if anyone knows any more then please do add them in!

[dead-tigris]

‘every morning the war gets up from sleep’ by iraqi poet, fadhil al-azzawi, 1985.