In The Presence Of Absence
Mahmoud Darwish
18 €
Coup de coeur
(Literature), by Morgane
A very beautiful and touching mix of prose and poetry by the famous Palestinan poet that lets us with a mix of craving more of his writing, and sadness because he knew death was knocking at his door. It is a retrospective journey on love, loss, war and his hopeful return to his country.
"Longing is not a memory, but rather what is selected from memory's museum."
One of the most transcendent poets of his generation, Darwish composed this remarkable elegy at the apex of his creativity, but with the full knowledge that his death was imminent. Thinking it might be his final work, he summoned all his poetic genius to create a luminous work that defies categorization. In stunning language, Darwish's self-elegy inhabits a rare space where opposites bleed and blend into each other. Prose and poetry, life and death, home and exile are all sung by the poet and his other. On the threshold of im/mortality, the poet looks back at his own existence, intertwined with that of his people. Through these lyrical meditations on love, longing, Palestine, history, friendship, family, and the ongoing conversation between life and death, the poet bids himself and his readers a poignant farewell.
Translated by Sinian Antoon
Publisher: Archipelago Books
Binding: Paperback
Publication date: 04 Nov 2011
Dimensions: 159 x 170 x 16 mm
ISBN: 9781935744016