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Poems of Arab Andalusia
These poems, from the astonishing 10th- through 13th-century civilization in Andalusia, are based on the codex of Ibn Sa'id, who wanted poems "whose idea is more subtle than the West Wind, and whose language is more beautiful than a fair face." Spanish readers have long been enchanted by their enduring appeal through the versions by Emilio García Gómez. This poetry of Arab Andalusia made a profound impact on Spain's Generation of ‘27. Rafael Alberti says that it "was a revelation for me and had a great influence on my work, but above all influenced the work of Federico García Lorca." "Cola Franzen's vibrant, delicious and faithful renderings of this poetic motherlode are, to quote from a poet in her marvelous compilation, 'shooting stars that leap agile as acrobats.'"—Christopher Sawyer-Lauçanno, author of An Invisible A Biography of Paul Bowles "Of those things which delight the senses (according to a Tradition of the Prophet) the chiefest are 'water, green things & a beautiful face'; therefore a poetry of noble exquisiteness limits itself to certain tropes, in which the wisdom of sensuality is endlessly rediscovered. Blow dust from the folios of the vanished Moors & be stabbed by the URGENT NECESSITY of light-dappled fountains, the fractals of the garden, the transmutations of desire."—Peter Lamborn Wilson, author of Ploughing the Clouds Cola Franzen has translated from Spanish some twenty volumes of prose and poetry, including Claudia Guillén's The Challenge of Comparative Literature, and Dreams of the Abandoned Seducer by Alicia Borinsky.
96 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1990
7 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
About the author
Cola Franzen
16 books5 followersCola Franzen published fifteen books of translations, among them poetry, fiction, and criticism by notable Spanish and Latin American authors. She has translated essays on photography as well as work by Cuban art critic and historian Gerardo Mosquera. Her publications include Dreams of the Abandoned Seducer, a novel (University of Nebraska Press, 1998; and The Collapsible Couple/ La pareja desmontable, a book of poems in bilingual translation (2000), both by Argentinian-born writer Alicia Borinksy. Other authors whose work she translates regularly include Saúl Yurkievich (Argentinian), Juan Cameron (Chilean), and Antonio José Ponte (Cuban). Her other tranlations include Poems of Arab Andalusia (1989, reprinted 1995) and The Challenge of Comparative Literature (1993), by Claudio Guillén, son of the poet Jorge Guillén.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 5, 2012
The Golden Age of Andalusian Arabic Poetry
Having spent 15 years in an Arab land, I ordered this book from Amazon out of curiosity to know Arab poetry of ancient moors settled in Spanish Andalusia. The quality stamp of Cola Franzen gave me the hunch that the money spent won't be in vain. Now the truth is that this is one poetry book I won't part with as I am so much in love with it.
The discovery of the treasure of ancient Andalusian Arab poetry is a story of chance encounter. It was made by a great Spanish Arabist and historian named Emilio García Gómez in the year 1928 in a shop in Cairo. He acquired an ancient Arab book marked as the codex of lbn Sa’id dated 1243 containing poems from 10th- through 13th-century civilization of Arabs in Andalusia . The book bearing the title Al-Mubarazzin wa Ghayat al-mumayyizin( meaning 'The Banners of the Champions and the Standards of the Select Ones') was till then unedited. unpublished, and completely unknown to the world . Excited by his chance discovery, Gomez translated it into Spanish and published it. In his prologue, Garcia Gómez’s only claim for his translations was that that they “allow us to see, even if from afar, what Arab-Adalusian poetry was like in the tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Enough, however, if the ancient saying is true, that a few verses can reveal the soul of a people better than long pages of history".
As we shall see, GarcIa Gómez was far too modest about the publication of this little book that changed the entire landscape of Spanish poetry . It not only inspired and enchanted readers and but great Spanish poets like Rafael Alberti and Federico Garcia Lorca who belonged to the famous 'Generation of 27'. The new taste of the soul of divine Andalusia through the surprisingly fresh metaphors and images contained in their poems revolutionized the entire Spanish poetry .
The book significantly influenced the works of Federico Garcia Lorca. Federico wrote a book of qasidas, El Divan del Tarnarit, and other similar poems that would not have been possible if it were not for Garcia Gómez’s book. Most critics who have looked carefully at the 'Divan' agree that Lorca did not attempt to copy the Arab-Andalusian poets, but to immerse himself in their poetry in order to reveal the soul, the essence, and recast it in his own manner. But he did explore how close he could come in Spanish to some formal aspects of classical Arabic poetry. The present English version by Cola Franzen is drawn from the Spanish translation made by Emilio García Gómez that book opened our eyes to Andalusian past.
The appeal and enduring beauty of these poems whose glow still reaches us even after being dismantled and refashioned in other languages cannot be explained but merely marveled at. lbn Sa’d, the original compiler of the anthology of these poems from 10th century, was a poet as well as historian and he has said in it that he wished to include only those few fragments of poems “whose idea is more subtle than the West Wind, and whose language is more beautiful than a pretty face.” And GarcIa Gómez tells us that indeed except for some complete diwans and a few celebrated qasidas, the large part of Arab-Andalusian poetry has come down to us “in fragments, shattered, although in iridescent diamond dust.”
Who were the fabricators of those verbal jewels? There were kings, viziers , princes, caliphs, doctors and rulers of all sorts and others known simply as poets, some great ones, like Ibn Zaydun and Ibn Haazm, both of Córdoba. After going through a lengthy list, Garcia Gómez concludes: “They were all poets!” It was said that in Silves, part of the kingdom of Sevilla, any laborer driving his ox cart would be capable of improvising a poem on any theme suggested to him. High officials including Kings, Viziers and Ambassadors wrote their invitations, excuses, insults and even informal communiqués in poetry!
Seldom has so much love been lavished on a land called Al-Andaluz. Like a man wooing a woman, the Arabs courted, cosseted, adored and adorned Spain with orchards, gardens, fountains and pools, cities and palaces, arid century after century sang her praises in unforgettable verses. The sang about pleasures and sorrows of their days, their love, friendship, revelry, flora and fauna, beautiful women, horses and war and last but not least about water.
I must say that Cola Franzen’s vibrant, delicious and faithful renderings of these ancient poems are, to quote from a poet in her marvelous compilation, '"shooting stars that leap agile as acrobats.”
Here are samplers to whet your appetite
White Skin
By Ibn 'Abd Rabbihi (860-940)
I have never seen
nor heard of such a thing
her modesty turns
pearl into carnelian.
Her face is so clear
that when you gaze
on its perfections
you see your own face
reflected.
The imagery of turning pearl into carnelian gemstone by her modesty is refreshingly original and striking.
Leavetaking
by Ibn Jakh
On the morning they left
we said goodbye
filled with sadness
for the absence to come.
Inside the palanquins
on the camels' backs
I saw their faces beautiful as moons
behind veils of gold cloth.
Beneath the veils
tears crept like scorpions
over the fragant roses
of their cheeks.
These scorpions do not harm
the cheek they mark.
They save their sting
for the heart of the sorrowful lover.
Reflections of Wine
by Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Hisn (11th Century)
Light passing through wine
reflects on the fingers
of the cupbearer
dyeing them red
as juniper stains
the muzzle of the antelope
Chastity
by Ibn Faraj (10th Century)
Although she was ready to give
herself to me, I abstained
and did not accept
the temptation Satan offered.
She came unveiled in the night.
illuminated by her face,
night put aside its shadowy
veils as well.
Each one of her glances
could cause hearts to turn over.
But I clung to the divine precept
that condemns lust and reined in
the capricious horses of my passion
so that my instinct
would not rebel against chastity.
And so I passed the night with her
like a thirsty little camel
whose muzzle keeps it from nursing.
Apology
by Ibrahim ibn Uthman
(12th Century) (Córdoba)
Don't cross me off as fickle
because a singing voice
has captured my heart.
One must be serious sometimes
and lighthearted at other times:
like wood from which come
both the singer's lute
and the warrior's bow.
Grainfield
by Ibn Iyad (12th Century)
Look at the ripe wheat
bending before the wind
like squadrons of horsemen
fleeing in defeat, bleeding
from the wounds of poppies.
THE GOBLETS
by Idris Ibn Al-Yamani (11th Century)
The goblets were heavy
when they were brought to us
but filled with fine wine
they became so light
they were on the point of flying away
with all their contents
just as our bodies are lightened
by the spirits.
I wish to conclude with this beautifully nostalgic verse and urge all Goodreads readers interested in poetry to acquire this little gem.
Serene Evening
by Mohammad Ibn Ghalib al-Rusafi (d.1177) Ruzafa, Valencia
A serene evening.
We spend it drinking wine.
The sun, going down,
lays its cheek against the earth
to rest.
The breeze lifts
the coattails of the hills.
The skin of the sky
is as smooth as the pelt
of the river.
How lucky we are to find
this spot for our sojourn
with doves cooing
for our greater delight.
Birds sing,
Branches sigh
And darkness drinks up
The red wine of sunset
Having spent 15 years in an Arab land, I ordered this book from Amazon out of curiosity to know Arab poetry of ancient moors settled in Spanish Andalusia. The quality stamp of Cola Franzen gave me the hunch that the money spent won't be in vain. Now the truth is that this is one poetry book I won't part with as I am so much in love with it.
The discovery of the treasure of ancient Andalusian Arab poetry is a story of chance encounter. It was made by a great Spanish Arabist and historian named Emilio García Gómez in the year 1928 in a shop in Cairo. He acquired an ancient Arab book marked as the codex of lbn Sa’id dated 1243 containing poems from 10th- through 13th-century civilization of Arabs in Andalusia . The book bearing the title Al-Mubarazzin wa Ghayat al-mumayyizin( meaning 'The Banners of the Champions and the Standards of the Select Ones') was till then unedited. unpublished, and completely unknown to the world . Excited by his chance discovery, Gomez translated it into Spanish and published it. In his prologue, Garcia Gómez’s only claim for his translations was that that they “allow us to see, even if from afar, what Arab-Adalusian poetry was like in the tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Enough, however, if the ancient saying is true, that a few verses can reveal the soul of a people better than long pages of history".
As we shall see, GarcIa Gómez was far too modest about the publication of this little book that changed the entire landscape of Spanish poetry . It not only inspired and enchanted readers and but great Spanish poets like Rafael Alberti and Federico Garcia Lorca who belonged to the famous 'Generation of 27'. The new taste of the soul of divine Andalusia through the surprisingly fresh metaphors and images contained in their poems revolutionized the entire Spanish poetry .
The book significantly influenced the works of Federico Garcia Lorca. Federico wrote a book of qasidas, El Divan del Tarnarit, and other similar poems that would not have been possible if it were not for Garcia Gómez’s book. Most critics who have looked carefully at the 'Divan' agree that Lorca did not attempt to copy the Arab-Andalusian poets, but to immerse himself in their poetry in order to reveal the soul, the essence, and recast it in his own manner. But he did explore how close he could come in Spanish to some formal aspects of classical Arabic poetry. The present English version by Cola Franzen is drawn from the Spanish translation made by Emilio García Gómez that book opened our eyes to Andalusian past.
The appeal and enduring beauty of these poems whose glow still reaches us even after being dismantled and refashioned in other languages cannot be explained but merely marveled at. lbn Sa’d, the original compiler of the anthology of these poems from 10th century, was a poet as well as historian and he has said in it that he wished to include only those few fragments of poems “whose idea is more subtle than the West Wind, and whose language is more beautiful than a pretty face.” And GarcIa Gómez tells us that indeed except for some complete diwans and a few celebrated qasidas, the large part of Arab-Andalusian poetry has come down to us “in fragments, shattered, although in iridescent diamond dust.”
Who were the fabricators of those verbal jewels? There were kings, viziers , princes, caliphs, doctors and rulers of all sorts and others known simply as poets, some great ones, like Ibn Zaydun and Ibn Haazm, both of Córdoba. After going through a lengthy list, Garcia Gómez concludes: “They were all poets!” It was said that in Silves, part of the kingdom of Sevilla, any laborer driving his ox cart would be capable of improvising a poem on any theme suggested to him. High officials including Kings, Viziers and Ambassadors wrote their invitations, excuses, insults and even informal communiqués in poetry!
Seldom has so much love been lavished on a land called Al-Andaluz. Like a man wooing a woman, the Arabs courted, cosseted, adored and adorned Spain with orchards, gardens, fountains and pools, cities and palaces, arid century after century sang her praises in unforgettable verses. The sang about pleasures and sorrows of their days, their love, friendship, revelry, flora and fauna, beautiful women, horses and war and last but not least about water.
I must say that Cola Franzen’s vibrant, delicious and faithful renderings of these ancient poems are, to quote from a poet in her marvelous compilation, '"shooting stars that leap agile as acrobats.”
Here are samplers to whet your appetite
White Skin
By Ibn 'Abd Rabbihi (860-940)
I have never seen
nor heard of such a thing
her modesty turns
pearl into carnelian.
Her face is so clear
that when you gaze
on its perfections
you see your own face
reflected.
The imagery of turning pearl into carnelian gemstone by her modesty is refreshingly original and striking.
Leavetaking
by Ibn Jakh
On the morning they left
we said goodbye
filled with sadness
for the absence to come.
Inside the palanquins
on the camels' backs
I saw their faces beautiful as moons
behind veils of gold cloth.
Beneath the veils
tears crept like scorpions
over the fragant roses
of their cheeks.
These scorpions do not harm
the cheek they mark.
They save their sting
for the heart of the sorrowful lover.
Reflections of Wine
by Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Hisn (11th Century)
Light passing through wine
reflects on the fingers
of the cupbearer
dyeing them red
as juniper stains
the muzzle of the antelope
Chastity
by Ibn Faraj (10th Century)
Although she was ready to give
herself to me, I abstained
and did not accept
the temptation Satan offered.
She came unveiled in the night.
illuminated by her face,
night put aside its shadowy
veils as well.
Each one of her glances
could cause hearts to turn over.
But I clung to the divine precept
that condemns lust and reined in
the capricious horses of my passion
so that my instinct
would not rebel against chastity.
And so I passed the night with her
like a thirsty little camel
whose muzzle keeps it from nursing.
Apology
by Ibrahim ibn Uthman
(12th Century) (Córdoba)
Don't cross me off as fickle
because a singing voice
has captured my heart.
One must be serious sometimes
and lighthearted at other times:
like wood from which come
both the singer's lute
and the warrior's bow.
Grainfield
by Ibn Iyad (12th Century)
Look at the ripe wheat
bending before the wind
like squadrons of horsemen
fleeing in defeat, bleeding
from the wounds of poppies.
THE GOBLETS
by Idris Ibn Al-Yamani (11th Century)
The goblets were heavy
when they were brought to us
but filled with fine wine
they became so light
they were on the point of flying away
with all their contents
just as our bodies are lightened
by the spirits.
I wish to conclude with this beautifully nostalgic verse and urge all Goodreads readers interested in poetry to acquire this little gem.
Serene Evening
by Mohammad Ibn Ghalib al-Rusafi (d.1177) Ruzafa, Valencia
A serene evening.
We spend it drinking wine.
The sun, going down,
lays its cheek against the earth
to rest.
The breeze lifts
the coattails of the hills.
The skin of the sky
is as smooth as the pelt
of the river.
How lucky we are to find
this spot for our sojourn
with doves cooing
for our greater delight.
Birds sing,
Branches sigh
And darkness drinks up
The red wine of sunset
April 10, 2025
we (real al-andaluz heads)need a re-reconquista
also this book is going to earn me a gold medal at the performative reading olympics
also this book is going to earn me a gold medal at the performative reading olympics
March 3, 2015
I've never read a book of poetry which so captured me. Wonderful thoughts and feelings combine with images ripped from the heart and latticed over the fields and hills of Andalusia. Here lie the yearnings of the heart, the courageous futility of war, and the love of family and friends. Within these pages is the simple glory of the peasant, the shackles of the monarch and the dizzying heights of passion.
Word choices are truly remarkable in this translation from the original Spanish text. I adored the creation of each mosaic of life, from its simplest petal to the very shores of the universe.
Word choices are truly remarkable in this translation from the original Spanish text. I adored the creation of each mosaic of life, from its simplest petal to the very shores of the universe.
March 14, 2014
Translations into English of a 1930 book of Spanish translations from the Arabic done by Emilio Garcia Gomez, which I have tried to find but failed. They influenced some of my favourite Spanish poets like Lorca, the 'Generation of 27', and I hate reading translations twice removed but these are still lovely.
'Insomnia'
When the bird of sleep
thought to nest
in my eye
it saw my eyelashes
and flew away
for fear of nets.
--Abu 'Amir ibn al-Hammarah, 12th cent
'Insomnia'
When the bird of sleep
thought to nest
in my eye
it saw my eyelashes
and flew away
for fear of nets.
--Abu 'Amir ibn al-Hammarah, 12th cent
October 7, 2017
These poems are translations from Spanish of translations from Arabic of originals written between 900 and 1100 but anthologized in the 1300s. In the course of the translations, they've lost the original cadence or rhyme scheme. What's left are a series of gorgeous images and metaphors: light passing through wine compared to juniper stains on the muzzle of an antelope; the convolutions on the inside of a walnut shell like the turns of the ear; turtles like Christian soldiers carrying their leather shields on their backs. Some images occur repeatedly, and seem to have been cliches - faces like the moon; tree limbs dipping over a river like people bending to dance or embrace - but others are more unique. Collectively they invite a calm attention to the beauty of the world, of gardens, sunsets, wind, seas, and swords.
July 21, 2016
Quite a nice volume. Lots of poetic odes to natural beauty, including the natural beauty of women. This stuff is heavily stacked towards romantic poetry, and within that category, its stacked towards poems about loss, or separation. They are quite touching. Its also very interesting to see how similar Sufi poems are (the book doesn't explicitly claim that these are Sufi poems, but lets get real, they are) from every end of the Islamic world. I mean sure, there are more references to church bells here, and Christian knights, but the wine/intoxication motifs are still there, as are the roses and the self destructive love.
November 26, 2010
I read this in college and absolutely loved it! Beautiful and moving poetry.
I regret loaning it to a classmate who never returned it ... now I'm planning to buy it again, because this is something I'm planning to re-read in the future.
I regret loaning it to a classmate who never returned it ... now I'm planning to buy it again, because this is something I'm planning to re-read in the future.
August 8, 2013
my second time; now that I ve been to Andalucia it gave me more imagination power and joy while reading. These poems make you feel like living in these centuries, even being a cupbearer :)
January 21, 2020
I accidentally read all of these instead of only the 20 pages required for class. Oops!
April 27, 2013
This is an anthology within an anthology, within an anthology. The book I’m holding in my hands, published in 1989 by City Lights Books of San Francisco, is translations from the Spanish by Cola Franzen. She based her translated poems on a book called Poemas Araigoandaluces of translations from the Arabic by Emilio Garcia Gomez originally published in 1930 but remaining in print to this day. The original poems in Arabic were in collected in the codex of Ibn Sa’id dated 1243. This contains poems from the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. The poets include kings, viziers, princes, doctors and others known simply as poets. Ibn Sa’id said he wanted to include fragments “whose language is more beautiful than a pretty face”.
Thanks to Gomez discovery of the codex in Cairo in 1928 and his translations thes poems helped to change the landscape of Spanish poetry, influencing poets like Rafael Alberti and Federico Garcia Lorca.
Thanks to Franzen those of us who understand neither Arabic nor Spanish can read these poems which have been handed down through the centuries. They are lovely to read; sensual poems with gardens, beauty, wine and water in the form of rivers and fountains.
Thanks to Gomez discovery of the codex in Cairo in 1928 and his translations thes poems helped to change the landscape of Spanish poetry, influencing poets like Rafael Alberti and Federico Garcia Lorca.
Thanks to Franzen those of us who understand neither Arabic nor Spanish can read these poems which have been handed down through the centuries. They are lovely to read; sensual poems with gardens, beauty, wine and water in the form of rivers and fountains.
January 16, 2023
This is a very accessible collection of poetry that gives the reader entry into an exciting time and place that one could hardly reach otherwise. Originally written in Arabic and collected about 800 years ago in Andalusia, which is now in Spain but was then under Moorish control (and had been about 500 years at that point), it includes poems written centuries before that. There is such a mixture of cultures and peoples coming together in that period in that area--Christians, Jews, Muslims; Arabs, Berbers, Goths; speakers of Arabic, Spanish, all of their variants, as well as other languages--and such a melding of their various histories that I find it amazingly rich. This poetry reflects much of that, which is what attracted me in the first place. But there's more.
For one, it's a beautiful translation. It's odd, though; the translator worked with the Spanish version of these originally Arabic works. As is so often the case, necessarily, the formal rules of meter and rhyme that shaped the originals is not represented in the English version. I'm okay with that. In fact, I prefer it. Without imposing those constraints, the language and meaning and imagery and (many of the) figures of speech come through clearly, and it's those elements I most admire in poetry.
Here is a line spoken by a lover:
It is perfectly comprehensible to a modern mind, and we are empathetic to the speaker, feeling the sharp emotions of a stolen night of love and the approach of its inevitable end. And yet it seems fresh, the product of a unique mind expressing himself in his own way, preserving those thoughts in writing. This is the collection in a nutshell.
Also, the richness of the culture behind the poetry attracts me, and I want to know more. The joining or mixing of separate cultures is seen in so many verses where, for example, blonde-haired women are mentioned, or the bells of Christians are heard, and then the same Muslim speaker might then reference fountains or camels or gems or flowers or other details that sound distinctly Middle Eastern or Asian to a Westerner. Another connection is between the people and the land. It shouldn't be surprising--but it kinda is--to hear a Muslim Arabic speaker describing the land of Spain and how much he loves it:
Of course, his ancestors had been in that land many generations at that point, so there really is nothing strange in that except for the realities of the present that we mistake for eternal truth. But it is these striking combinations that make the poetry so special to me--finding familiar human emotions and familiar human thought clothed in unfamiliar images and terms. There is something both unifying and refreshing in that combination.
Additionally, and quite separate from the translation and my interests in the time and place, I feel these poems stand on their own simply as art. These works are universal in the best way and can be appreciated simply as human expression. This short poem is a nice example:
Although we find a lot of military imagery in these poems, those verses could come from any place and any time. The fact that it came from Abu l-Qasim al-Manishi in 12th century Seville is an interesting detail that does not need to affect the value of the art in any way. IMO, he could have been writing in any age and it would have the same impact and the same meaning.
Recommended. My only complaint is that it is a small volume, less than 100 pages. I would have liked twice as much.
For one, it's a beautiful translation. It's odd, though; the translator worked with the Spanish version of these originally Arabic works. As is so often the case, necessarily, the formal rules of meter and rhyme that shaped the originals is not represented in the English version. I'm okay with that. In fact, I prefer it. Without imposing those constraints, the language and meaning and imagery and (many of the) figures of speech come through clearly, and it's those elements I most admire in poetry.
Here is a line spoken by a lover:
We were two secrets
held by the heart of darkness
until the tongue of dawn
threatened to denounce us
It is perfectly comprehensible to a modern mind, and we are empathetic to the speaker, feeling the sharp emotions of a stolen night of love and the approach of its inevitable end. And yet it seems fresh, the product of a unique mind expressing himself in his own way, preserving those thoughts in writing. This is the collection in a nutshell.
Also, the richness of the culture behind the poetry attracts me, and I want to know more. The joining or mixing of separate cultures is seen in so many verses where, for example, blonde-haired women are mentioned, or the bells of Christians are heard, and then the same Muslim speaker might then reference fountains or camels or gems or flowers or other details that sound distinctly Middle Eastern or Asian to a Westerner. Another connection is between the people and the land. It shouldn't be surprising--but it kinda is--to hear a Muslim Arabic speaker describing the land of Spain and how much he loves it:
Valley of Almería!
God grant that I never see
myself deprived of you!
...And you, friend, here beside me,
enjoy this time, for there are delights
in this paradise not to be found
in the eternal one.
Of course, his ancestors had been in that land many generations at that point, so there really is nothing strange in that except for the realities of the present that we mistake for eternal truth. But it is these striking combinations that make the poetry so special to me--finding familiar human emotions and familiar human thought clothed in unfamiliar images and terms. There is something both unifying and refreshing in that combination.
Additionally, and quite separate from the translation and my interests in the time and place, I feel these poems stand on their own simply as art. These works are universal in the best way and can be appreciated simply as human expression. This short poem is a nice example:
The wind does the delicate work
of a goldsmith
crimping water into mesh
for a coat of mail.
Then comes the rain
and rivets the pieces together
with little nails.
Although we find a lot of military imagery in these poems, those verses could come from any place and any time. The fact that it came from Abu l-Qasim al-Manishi in 12th century Seville is an interesting detail that does not need to affect the value of the art in any way. IMO, he could have been writing in any age and it would have the same impact and the same meaning.
Recommended. My only complaint is that it is a small volume, less than 100 pages. I would have liked twice as much.
July 3, 2020
One of my goals this summer was to read some of the books that I own but have never read. I mean, not all of them--there's no way I'd be able to get that done--but some of them, anyway. I got this book at a library book sale lo these many years ago, and it seemed relevant to the world lit class I'm teaching this fall, so I thought, what the hey.
Anyway, this was a fun read. I can't speak to the accuracy, and in fact, I would imagine there's quite a bit of poetic license, since this is an English translation of a Spanish prose translation of an Arabic anthology of poetry. But the poetry is nice, and I definitely found a few poems that I might offer as supplemental optional readings on topics like the alba/aube, wine poetry, and homoeroticism in medieval Arabic poetry. The organization of the book is a little odd--it's in roughly chronological order until the end, where it jumps back in time to the eleventh century to talk about how the downfall of al-Mu'tamid was basically the downfall of "the great age of Islamic culture," which, I mean, okay, clearly the poets were still writing, because that's what the rest of the book is, and also I've usually seen "the great age of Islamic culture" associated more with the 'Abbasid caliphate than the taifa states of al-Andalus, but what the hell do I know, I study English and French lit. The translations work well as poems and convey a lot of important themes and images, and I think that's probably the most important as far as I'm concerned.
Anyway, this was a fun read. I can't speak to the accuracy, and in fact, I would imagine there's quite a bit of poetic license, since this is an English translation of a Spanish prose translation of an Arabic anthology of poetry. But the poetry is nice, and I definitely found a few poems that I might offer as supplemental optional readings on topics like the alba/aube, wine poetry, and homoeroticism in medieval Arabic poetry. The organization of the book is a little odd--it's in roughly chronological order until the end, where it jumps back in time to the eleventh century to talk about how the downfall of al-Mu'tamid was basically the downfall of "the great age of Islamic culture," which, I mean, okay, clearly the poets were still writing, because that's what the rest of the book is, and also I've usually seen "the great age of Islamic culture" associated more with the 'Abbasid caliphate than the taifa states of al-Andalus, but what the hell do I know, I study English and French lit. The translations work well as poems and convey a lot of important themes and images, and I think that's probably the most important as far as I'm concerned.
June 19, 2022
Though the poetry of the great medieval kingdom of Al-Andalus is well known to scholars and historians of that civilization, it's too little known among general readers in the western world. In this book, Cola Franzen has translated several score mostly brief poems of the period from the Spanish translations of the Arabic done by Emilio Garcia Gomez. I don't have the languages to evaluate them as translations, but I think any reader of the English will be delighted with the result: these poems are clear, vivid, courtly, elegant, passionate, and of great general appeal. For anyone particularly interested in Al-Andalus, this is a must have book, and can also be strongly recommended to readers of poetry in general.
January 16, 2021
Having never read any Arabic or Spanish poetry before (especially from this period), I wasn’t at all sure of what to expect but I was really pleasantly surprised!
The poems were beautifully translated and so evocative, and I loved the variety of different poems included - a really nice introduction to the poetry of Arab Andalusia, and the last few poems were particularly poignant due to their historical context which was really helpfully explained in a note.
The poems were beautifully translated and so evocative, and I loved the variety of different poems included - a really nice introduction to the poetry of Arab Andalusia, and the last few poems were particularly poignant due to their historical context which was really helpfully explained in a note.
February 7, 2021
This collection of Arabic poetry from medieval Andalusia is jewel-like in its beauty. The poems, doubly translated into English from Spanish from Arabic, are short, sensuous evocations of love and nature in Andalusia. There are moments eroticism, beauty, humor, and longing for the beloved. It is the sort of collection that one would expect City Lights Book to publish.
March 30, 2020
I’m always intrigued to read works from centuries past because it affirms for me the universal experiences of being human. I could ask myself, what do I really have in common with an array of Arabic men from 10th-13th century Andalucía? The answer does not surprise me; more than you’d think. The awe inspired awareness of life, love, and nature will forever sprawl across the timeline of our species.
I’m beginning to acquaint myself with writings from across the rich and diverse history of Spain, and enjoyed reading this.
I’m beginning to acquaint myself with writings from across the rich and diverse history of Spain, and enjoyed reading this.
December 30, 2023
This little book provides a beautiful glance into the lives of the Andalusian poets who wrote them. You see their full humanity, their loves, the losses, and what they truly care for. I will keep this book in my heart for years to come.
March 6, 2020
In a word, splendid.
August 25, 2020
A book to savour
May 20, 2021
*only giving this 3 stars bc the translations were awful
October 27, 2021
Wow, people were horny in olden times too
April 16, 2024
Haiku-like poems from Islamic Spain. Very nice.
July 8, 2025
“I scarce suppose that yonder sky
Displayed its wealth of stars on high
For any reason, but to spy
On our romance with jealous eyes.”
— Hafsa bint al-Hajj al-Rukuniyya
Displayed its wealth of stars on high
For any reason, but to spy
On our romance with jealous eyes.”
— Hafsa bint al-Hajj al-Rukuniyya
January 19, 2014
What a magnificent read! This book came recommended by a friend, and stayed on my night stand for most of the month. I picked it up, and then couldn't put it down. I have read a bit from the Dark Ages, but nothing so relevant as this. This collection definitely struck a chord.
May 20, 2008
Sensual, male centered poems. Rich imagery. I wished for some notes as to the Arabic poetic convention within which these verses appeared.
September 15, 2014
Poetry is always a good conversation starter!
November 6, 2020
Arab poetry is so sensual, in that one feels the pain or the love along with the writer. One recognizes a universal female understanding.
October 11, 2021
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