Unfortunately It Was Paradise: Selected Poems

About this book

Mahmoud Darwish is a literary rarity: at once critically acclaimed as one of the most important poets in the Arabic language and beloved as the voice of his people. He is a living legend whose lyrics are sung by fieldworkers and schoolchildren. He has assimilated some of the worlds oldest literary traditions at the same time that he has struggled to open new possibilities for poetry. This collection spans Darwishs entire career nearly four decades revealing an impressive range of expression and form. A splendid team of translators has collaborated with the poet on these new translations which capture Darwishs distinctive voice and spirit.