Sadder than Water: New and Selected Poems

by Samih Al-Qasim

Poetry. Translated from the Arabic by Nazih Kassis. The first-ever English collection by this major Palestinian poet. Born in 1939, al-Qasim first achieved fame as one of the celebrated "resistance poets" and over the decades he has produced a body of work that is as varied and innovative as it is large. This volume collects poems from his various periods and modes (short, long, lyrical, caustic) and finally makes available to English readers the full range of al-Qasim's oeuvre. An outspoken opponent of racism and oppression on all sides of the Middle East conflict, al-Qasim is a major figure in the Arab world. A must for anyone interested in world literature.

Genres: Poetry

130 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2006

About the author

Samīħ al-Qāsim (Arabic: سميح القاسم ‎‎; Hebrew: סמיח אל קאסם‎‎; 1939 - August 19, 2014) was an Arabic-language poet whose work is well known throughout the Arab world. Son of a Palestinian Druze family, he was born in Transjordan and lived in Israel throughout his childhood and adult life. His poetry is influenced by two primary periods of his life: before and after the Six-Day War - until 1967 he was mainly influenced by Arab nationalism; in 1967 he joined the Israeli Communist political party, Rakah, and later activated in the closely related Front for Democracy and Equality "Hadash".

Al-Qasim has published several volumes and collections of poetry.

سميح القاسم، أحد أشهر الشعراء الفلسطينين المعاصرين الذين ارتبط
اسمهم بشعر الثورة والمقاومة من داخل أراضي العام 48 ، مؤسس صحيفة كل العرب ، عضو سابق في الحزب الشيوعي. ولد لعائلة عربية فلسطينية درزية في مدينة الزرقاء الأردنية عام 1939، وتعلّم في مدارس الرامة والناصرة. وعلّم في إحدى المدارس، ثم انصرف بعدها إلى نشاطه السياسي في الحزب الشيوعي قبل أن يترك الحزب لعمله الأدبي.

شاعر مكثر يتناول في شعره الكفاح والمعاناة الفلسطينيين، وما أن بلغ الثلاثين حتى كان قد نشر ست مجموعات شعرية حازت على شهرة واسعة في العالم العربي. كتب سميح القاسم أيضاً عدداً من الروايات، ومن بين اهتماماته الحالية إنشاء مسرح فلسطيني يحمل رسالة فنية وثقافية عالية كما يحمل في الوقت نفسه رسالة سياسية قادرة على التأثير في الرأي العام العالمي فيما يتعلّق بالقضية الفلسطينية.

Reviews

[Nour · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason why I didn't give this five stars was my frustration with the translations. I love the fact that this collection contained both Arabic and English versions of the poems. However, some of the translations felt like they didn't project the true emotion within Samih Al Qasim's poetry. This isn't because the translations were incorrect, but often times when translating works in Arabic, an emotionally complex and wondrous language, the meaning and power behind the words is lost. That, for me, was the biggest frustration.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A painstakingly visceral and bona fide composition of literature. A cry for freedom.

“Do you know?
You were wrong when you read life with your love.
You were wrong when you saw the world through your heart.
No, don't tell me it's insight.
Man has two eyes but a single heart-so how can you master passion's account?
How can you love as you should?
He who does not see stumbles in the visions' stuttering and the ramifications of intent.
Struggle, then, as you should.
Look with open eyes and a heart that sees.
Contemplate and ponder.
Don't repeat the folly of Sisyphus.
Stop at the suffering's summits.”

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great variety of styles, very moving, by a Palistinean