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Palestine as Metaphor
First English publication of interviews with the late Mahmoud Darwish.
Palestine as Metaphor consists of a series of interviews with Mahmoud Darwish, which have never appeared in English before. The interviews are a wealth of information on the poet's personal life, his relationships, his numerous works, and his tragedy. They illuminate Darwish's conception of poetry as a supreme art that transcends time and place.
Several writers and journalists conducted the interviews, including a Lebanese poet, a Syrian literary critic, three Palestinian writers, and an Israeli journalist. Each encounter took place in a different city from Nicosia to London, Paris, and Amman.
These vivid dialogues unravel the threads of a rich life haunted by the loss of Palestine and illuminate the genius and the distress of a major world poet.
Palestine as Metaphor consists of a series of interviews with Mahmoud Darwish, which have never appeared in English before. The interviews are a wealth of information on the poet's personal life, his relationships, his numerous works, and his tragedy. They illuminate Darwish's conception of poetry as a supreme art that transcends time and place.
Several writers and journalists conducted the interviews, including a Lebanese poet, a Syrian literary critic, three Palestinian writers, and an Israeli journalist. Each encounter took place in a different city from Nicosia to London, Paris, and Amman.
These vivid dialogues unravel the threads of a rich life haunted by the loss of Palestine and illuminate the genius and the distress of a major world poet.
- GenresPoetryNonfictionEssays
256 pages, Paperback
Published November 9, 2019
15 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Mahmoud Darwish
211 books12k followers محمود درويش
Mahmoud Darwish was a respected Palestinian poet and author who won numerous awards for his literary output and was regarded as the Palestinian national poet. In his work, Palestine became a metaphor for the loss of Eden, birth and resurrection, and the anguish of dispossession and exile.
The Lotus Prize (1969; from the Union of Afro-Asian Writers)
Lenin Peace Prize (1983; from the USSR)
The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (1993; from France)
The Lannan Foundation Prize for Cultural Freedom (2001)
Prince Claus Awards (2004)
"Bosnian stećak" (2007)
Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry Evenings (2007)
The International Forum for Arabic Poetry prize (2007)
محمود درويش هو شاعرٌ فلسطيني وعضو المجلس الوطني الفلسطيني التابع لمنظمة التحرير الفلسطينية، وله دواوين شعرية مليئة بالمضامين الحداثية. ولد عام 1941 في قرية البروة وهي قرية فلسطينية تقع في الجليل قرب ساحل عكا, حيث كانت أسرته تملك أرضًا هناك. خرجت الأسرة برفقة اللاجئين الفلسطينيين في العام 1948 إلى لبنان، ثم عادت متسللة عام 1949 بعد توقيع اتفاقيات الهدنة، لتجد القرية مهدمة وقد أقيم على أراضيها موشاف (قرية زراعية إسرائيلية)"أحيهود". وكيبوتس يسعور فعاش مع عائلته في قرية الجديدة.
بعد إنهائه تعليمه الثانوي في مدرسة يني الثانوية في كفرياسيف انتسب إلى الحزب الشيوعي الإسرائيلي وعمل في صحافة الحزب مثل الإتحاد والجديد التي أصبح في ما بعد مشرفًا على تحريرها، كما اشترك في تحرير جريدة الفجر التي كان يصدرها مبام.
أحد أهم الشعراء الفلسطينيين والعرب الذين ارتبط اسمهم بشعر الثورة والوطن. يعتبر درويش أحد أبرز من ساهم بتطوير الشعر العربي الحديث وإدخال الرمزية فيه. في شعر درويش يمتزج الحب بالوطن بالحبيبة الأنثى. قام بكتابة وثيقة إعلان الاستقلال الفلسطيني التي تم إعلانها في الجزائر.
Tras una juventud dentro de la Palestina ocupada, años salpicados por numerosos arestos, se trasladó a Egipto y después al Líbano para realizar su sueño de renovación poética. Será en su exilio en Paris, tras tener que abandonar forzosamente el Líbano, donde logre su madurez poético y logre un reconocimiento ante los ojos occidentales.
En 1996, tras los acuerdos de Oslo para la autonomía de los territorios de Gaza y Cisjordania, dimite como ministro de Cultura de la Organización para la Liberación de Palestina y regresa a Ramallah. Allí dirige la revista literaria Al Karmel, cuytos archivos fueron destruidos por el ejército israelí durante el asedio a la ciudad en el año 2002.
Mahmoud Darwish was a respected Palestinian poet and author who won numerous awards for his literary output and was regarded as the Palestinian national poet. In his work, Palestine became a metaphor for the loss of Eden, birth and resurrection, and the anguish of dispossession and exile.
The Lotus Prize (1969; from the Union of Afro-Asian Writers)
Lenin Peace Prize (1983; from the USSR)
The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (1993; from France)
The Lannan Foundation Prize for Cultural Freedom (2001)
Prince Claus Awards (2004)
"Bosnian stećak" (2007)
Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry Evenings (2007)
The International Forum for Arabic Poetry prize (2007)
محمود درويش هو شاعرٌ فلسطيني وعضو المجلس الوطني الفلسطيني التابع لمنظمة التحرير الفلسطينية، وله دواوين شعرية مليئة بالمضامين الحداثية. ولد عام 1941 في قرية البروة وهي قرية فلسطينية تقع في الجليل قرب ساحل عكا, حيث كانت أسرته تملك أرضًا هناك. خرجت الأسرة برفقة اللاجئين الفلسطينيين في العام 1948 إلى لبنان، ثم عادت متسللة عام 1949 بعد توقيع اتفاقيات الهدنة، لتجد القرية مهدمة وقد أقيم على أراضيها موشاف (قرية زراعية إسرائيلية)"أحيهود". وكيبوتس يسعور فعاش مع عائلته في قرية الجديدة.
بعد إنهائه تعليمه الثانوي في مدرسة يني الثانوية في كفرياسيف انتسب إلى الحزب الشيوعي الإسرائيلي وعمل في صحافة الحزب مثل الإتحاد والجديد التي أصبح في ما بعد مشرفًا على تحريرها، كما اشترك في تحرير جريدة الفجر التي كان يصدرها مبام.
أحد أهم الشعراء الفلسطينيين والعرب الذين ارتبط اسمهم بشعر الثورة والوطن. يعتبر درويش أحد أبرز من ساهم بتطوير الشعر العربي الحديث وإدخال الرمزية فيه. في شعر درويش يمتزج الحب بالوطن بالحبيبة الأنثى. قام بكتابة وثيقة إعلان الاستقلال الفلسطيني التي تم إعلانها في الجزائر.
Tras una juventud dentro de la Palestina ocupada, años salpicados por numerosos arestos, se trasladó a Egipto y después al Líbano para realizar su sueño de renovación poética. Será en su exilio en Paris, tras tener que abandonar forzosamente el Líbano, donde logre su madurez poético y logre un reconocimiento ante los ojos occidentales.
En 1996, tras los acuerdos de Oslo para la autonomía de los territorios de Gaza y Cisjordania, dimite como ministro de Cultura de la Organización para la Liberación de Palestina y regresa a Ramallah. Allí dirige la revista literaria Al Karmel, cuytos archivos fueron destruidos por el ejército israelí durante el asedio a la ciudad en el año 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 15, 2022
I will be hard to explain what reading this book felt like for me. This is a collection of interviews with a poet, whose work I love, but who always feels way more intelligent than I am. I won’t I always exactly understand his work and his metaphors, but I always feel it deep inside. It always touches something.
As I started it I felt completely out of my depth. Both the interviewer in the first section (Abbas Beydoun, a Lebanese poet) and Darwish himself were clearly far smarter and eloquent than I was. I felt a bit lost and maybe a little awed by the conversation.
However, as I got more and more into the book I realised that I was understanding it perfectly fine and that I actually really enjoyed the somewhat philosophical tone. It just took me a moment to flick that switch in my brain. What this book did for me is to get a better understanding of the man, whose work touches my soul. He talks very eloquently about what it means to be a poet, what it means to be Palestinian, and what it means to be a Palestian poet. It also becomes clear how important poetry is. The man WAS poetry.
In the interview with Israeli poet Helit Yeshurun it is clear that the Israel-Palestine conflict is very current and is somewhat of a rift between interviewer and interviewee. It makes for very interesting discussions. I think that is the interview I enjoyed the most, but to be honest, I got so much out of each and every one of them that I can only be grateful they were published in English.
I truly loved reading this and I am looking forward to going back to reading some of his poetry and works.
As I started it I felt completely out of my depth. Both the interviewer in the first section (Abbas Beydoun, a Lebanese poet) and Darwish himself were clearly far smarter and eloquent than I was. I felt a bit lost and maybe a little awed by the conversation.
However, as I got more and more into the book I realised that I was understanding it perfectly fine and that I actually really enjoyed the somewhat philosophical tone. It just took me a moment to flick that switch in my brain. What this book did for me is to get a better understanding of the man, whose work touches my soul. He talks very eloquently about what it means to be a poet, what it means to be Palestinian, and what it means to be a Palestian poet. It also becomes clear how important poetry is. The man WAS poetry.
In the interview with Israeli poet Helit Yeshurun it is clear that the Israel-Palestine conflict is very current and is somewhat of a rift between interviewer and interviewee. It makes for very interesting discussions. I think that is the interview I enjoyed the most, but to be honest, I got so much out of each and every one of them that I can only be grateful they were published in English.
I truly loved reading this and I am looking forward to going back to reading some of his poetry and works.
Read
December 11, 2023mahmoud darwish is one of the most brilliantly intelligent poets i have ever seen.
October 12, 2020
"In Masharif, you say: "Geography is stronger in history than history in geography." What do you mean by that?"
"It's a defense of place, for place, in itself, is neutral despite a thousand years of wind and rain. Place receives all those who come. It's cynical. I was talking about place, which is stronger than all that happens on the land in the historical process. History is a point of observation, of ghosts, of the "I," of the Other, in a complicated human procession."
"It's a defense of place, for place, in itself, is neutral despite a thousand years of wind and rain. Place receives all those who come. It's cynical. I was talking about place, which is stronger than all that happens on the land in the historical process. History is a point of observation, of ghosts, of the "I," of the Other, in a complicated human procession."
August 20, 2021
Even though i discovered him through his poetry I fell in love with him through his prose. Even though the book is a translation of the interviews given by Darwish, the absolute eloquence of his words is mesmerising. It goes slowly but it is really hard to put it down and not think about all the things he has said.
Mahmoud not only explains his use of imagery and the purpose and meaning behind them thoroughly but also talks about his feelings when he is writing it. He details his routine and his procedure of how his poetic pieces come into existence. I would highly recommend you to read this book if you love to read poetry or you are a poet yourself.
“I am convinced the exile is profoundly anchored in me, to the point that cannot write without it. And I will carry it whenever I go, and I will being it back to my first home.”
Mahmoud not only explains his use of imagery and the purpose and meaning behind them thoroughly but also talks about his feelings when he is writing it. He details his routine and his procedure of how his poetic pieces come into existence. I would highly recommend you to read this book if you love to read poetry or you are a poet yourself.
“I am convinced the exile is profoundly anchored in me, to the point that cannot write without it. And I will carry it whenever I go, and I will being it back to my first home.”
February 3, 2024
So beautiful - and highly intellectual/academic! A lot of it went over my head, especially in the beginning. But Mahmoud is truly legendary. Such an eye-opening look into his work, his exile, and his connection to the “Palestinian cause.”
May 12, 2024
Imala sam velika očekivanja koja je ovo delo uspelo da nadmaši. Iskren uvid u život i patnju ne samo fenomenalnog Darviša, već naroda Palestine. Topla preporuka ne samo onima koje interesuje decenijska okupacija Palestine, već svima koji cene intelektualni razgovor.
September 2, 2020
brilliant brilliant brilliant
November 4, 2024
"exile is so strong in me that I might take it with me to the homeland."
May 10, 2021
This collection of interviews with the most celebrated poet is a must-read for poetry lovers and anyone interested in the intersection of writing and politics - It includes five discussions – four translated from Arabic and one from Hebrew – all of which illuminate Darwish’s life and family relationships, as well as his relationship to poetry, fellow poets, critics, translators, and audiences - It includes a wonderfully contentious and illuminating discussion with Israeli poet Helit Yeshurun, who had once, as the editor of Hadarim magazine, refused to publish Darwish’s work.
March 5, 2024
i've loved mahmoud darwish's poetry ever since i first discovered his poetry in 2015, but i don't think i've ever read any of his writing or interviews outside of his poems. his interviews and his way of speaking is just as lyrical as his poetry, and it comes through so clearly and gorgeously in spite of the translations (one interview goes from hebrew to french to english and the others are translated from arabic).
in the interviews, darwish reflects back on his poetry and discusses the themes of his work, his connection to the palestinian cause, the influence of exile on his poetry, and his writing process. i found it fascinating to see this glimpse of the poet and i feel like i can better understand his poetry now. there was a moment where he talks about palestinian literature and poetry and how it's not necessarily included in with the rest of the arab world. specifically, he quotes, "if the critic speaks of the palestinian cause, he would also speak of palestinian poetry. but if he speaks of arab poetry, he wouldn't speak of the poetry of the palestinians." i was not previously aware of how the palestinian cause exists separately from that of the arab nations and how there are distinctions made between the two until i read "the hundred years' war on palestine" by rashid khalidi. although darwish makes the point that he is not exclusively the figurehead of the palestinian cause, i still thought it was an interesting point that he made, both on his work and on what academics deem to be literature.
i also thought that the interview with helit yeshurun was particularly interesting and salient, especially considering the ongoing genocide in gaza. despite the interview being transcribed onto paper, the tension was palpable between the interviewer and interviewee. here, darwish makes several points that really stuck with me. first, he talks about hebrew vs yiddish, specifically in how the state of israel chose a textual language like hebrew rather than the more colloquial, communal yiddish as the national language and how it contributes towards the national israeli identity. that was something i hadn't really thought about before. second, he points out how the state of israel attempts to be the victor and victim at the same time, terming it an "israeli monopoly." third, he talks about how translations are political, particularly in regards to the hebrew translations of his work. the example he brings up is his poem, "flower of pomegranate", being translated to "grenade" in hebrew, which transforms the meaning of his poem. that interview left me thinking for a long, long time and remains relevant today.
genuinely a thought-provoking read, highly recommend.
in the interviews, darwish reflects back on his poetry and discusses the themes of his work, his connection to the palestinian cause, the influence of exile on his poetry, and his writing process. i found it fascinating to see this glimpse of the poet and i feel like i can better understand his poetry now. there was a moment where he talks about palestinian literature and poetry and how it's not necessarily included in with the rest of the arab world. specifically, he quotes, "if the critic speaks of the palestinian cause, he would also speak of palestinian poetry. but if he speaks of arab poetry, he wouldn't speak of the poetry of the palestinians." i was not previously aware of how the palestinian cause exists separately from that of the arab nations and how there are distinctions made between the two until i read "the hundred years' war on palestine" by rashid khalidi. although darwish makes the point that he is not exclusively the figurehead of the palestinian cause, i still thought it was an interesting point that he made, both on his work and on what academics deem to be literature.
i also thought that the interview with helit yeshurun was particularly interesting and salient, especially considering the ongoing genocide in gaza. despite the interview being transcribed onto paper, the tension was palpable between the interviewer and interviewee. here, darwish makes several points that really stuck with me. first, he talks about hebrew vs yiddish, specifically in how the state of israel chose a textual language like hebrew rather than the more colloquial, communal yiddish as the national language and how it contributes towards the national israeli identity. that was something i hadn't really thought about before. second, he points out how the state of israel attempts to be the victor and victim at the same time, terming it an "israeli monopoly." third, he talks about how translations are political, particularly in regards to the hebrew translations of his work. the example he brings up is his poem, "flower of pomegranate", being translated to "grenade" in hebrew, which transforms the meaning of his poem. that interview left me thinking for a long, long time and remains relevant today.
genuinely a thought-provoking read, highly recommend.
April 23, 2025
Admittedly I felt a little out of my depth here--especially when the second interview moves into more theoretical conversations about poetry--but I think Darwish's life and perspective is fascinating to read about, and his language (even translated) is beautiful.
What stands out to me, perhaps obviously, are his observations about poetry's success and failure as a political tool. He remarks many times throughout that he wants to be known as a love poet, not a figurehead for Palestine or Palestinian liberation. But, isn't he inevitably both? This emphasis on a kind of individual identity is interesting to me--I think it's easy to mistake(?) it for a longing to be apolitical in the way that we might associate with naive Western writers. And maybe that is baked in to some extent--Darwish clearly harbors no shortage of desire to be unconstrained as an artist. I think, on a personal level, that's probably basically normal for any kind of creative who takes their work as seriously as he does. But there's a tension there I can't stop thinking about.
What stands out to me, perhaps obviously, are his observations about poetry's success and failure as a political tool. He remarks many times throughout that he wants to be known as a love poet, not a figurehead for Palestine or Palestinian liberation. But, isn't he inevitably both? This emphasis on a kind of individual identity is interesting to me--I think it's easy to mistake(?) it for a longing to be apolitical in the way that we might associate with naive Western writers. And maybe that is baked in to some extent--Darwish clearly harbors no shortage of desire to be unconstrained as an artist. I think, on a personal level, that's probably basically normal for any kind of creative who takes their work as seriously as he does. But there's a tension there I can't stop thinking about.
May 18, 2024
“I like poetry because it gives us the gift of strength, although fictitious. Why doesn’t the jailer sing? The captive sings because he is alone with himself, while the jailer exists only in terms of the Other whom he is guarding. He is vigilant over the isolation of the captive, to the point that he forgets his own solitude.”
January 9, 2024
"I discovered that land is fragile and the sea is weightless. I learned that language and metaphor are not enough to bestow place upon place. The geographical part of history is stronger than the historical part of geography."
May 25, 2021
ما هو اسم الكتاب بابعربي؟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2023
Helped me to understand the man whose words touch me so deeply a bit more. Yet a small part of me regrets reading it as it takes away part of the mystery and ambiguity of his poems
August 31, 2024
Anything by Darwish, anything…..💚
February 15, 2025
It's an excellent gateway to the thought of Mahmoud Darwish, and to his poetry.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews