Without an Alphabet, Without a Face: Selected Poems (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781555973711)

This Iraq will reach the ends of the graveyard.
It will bury its sons in open country
generation after generation,
and it will forgive its despot...
It will not be the Iraq that once held the name.--from "A Vision"

Living his life in exile--a series of forced departures from numerous countries--Iraqi poet Saadi Youssef also writes outside the long-standing forms of traditional Arabic poetry. In the words of Salma Khadra, a critic of Arabic poetry, "Youssef's poetry abounds with the sights, smells, colors, and movement of life around him, depicting scenes of great familiarity and intimacy. This is a great achievement in the face of the rage and fury and technical complexities of much of the other poetry written by his contemporaries." Beautifully translated by Khaled Mattawa, Graywolf is proud to present Without an Alphabet, Without a Face to the United States.

Author: Saadi Youssef
ISBN-10: 155597371X
ISBN-13: 9781555973711
Publisher: Graywolf Press
Language: English
Published: 12/01/2002
Pages: 216
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.72lbs
Size: 9.06h x 6.04w x 0.61d
Award: Literary Award - Winner

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/25/2002 pg. 59
Books & Culture 09/01/2003 pg. 8