Poetry. Middle Eastern Studies. Bilingual Edition. Translated from the Arabic by Peter Cole, Yahya Hijazi, and Gabriel Levin. Taha Muhammad Ali is a revered Palestinian poet whose work is driven by vivid imagination, disarming humor, and unflinching honesty. As a boy he was exiled from his hometown, but rather than turning to a protest poetry of black-and-white slogans to convey this loss, he has created art of highest order. His poems portray experiences that range from catastrophe to splendor, each preserving an essential human dignity.

Author City: NAZARETH ISR

Taha Muhammad Ali was born in 1931 in the Galilee village of Saffuriya. After fleeing to Lebanon during the Arab-Israeli war of 1948, Muhammad Ali and his family settled in Nazareth where they have lived since. He and his sons have been operating a souvenir shop there for decades. Muhammad Ali began his poetry career late, in 1983. He has published several collections of poetry and is also writes short stories. He has published two collections in English: Never Mind: Twenty Poems and a Story (Ibis Editions, 2000) and SO WHAT: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS 1973-2005 (Copper Canyon Press, 2006).

Reviews and Other Links
Two Poems: text in English + audio in English and Arabic @ PBS Newshour