Poetry. With accompanying CD. Fresh from her Tony-Award winning stint in Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam on Broadway and a subsequent 51-city tour, Suheir Hammad has written her first collection of poetry since Born Palestinian, Born Black, published when she was just 22 years old. ZAATARDIVA is poetry about love, politics and art, all coming out of Hammad's bag of zaatar. The poems in this collection are at once seductive and dangerous; they are possessed by a singular lyricism and awareness. "ZAATARDIVA summons through moments of lyrical insight and urbane wit, again and again, and before we know what has happened, we are hooked. Here's a poetry that urges a wholeness--a crossing of borders--as the personal is woven into the public, whereby a 'prodigal daughter' possesses her own knowing voice. Each poem in ZAATARDIVA is heart-driven by the urgent, raw orality of need. And, there is a glistening barb in each turn of phrase--a lure of quicksilver accuracy"--Yusef Komunyakaa.

Author Hometown: New York, NY USA



About the author: Poet Suheir Hammad was born in Amman, Jordan to refugee Palestinian parents. She immigrated with her family to Brooklyn, New York when she was just five years old. Inspired by poet-performers such as Nikki Giovanni, Hammad has traveled the world reciting her poetry in various venues and universities. Her writings have appeared in over a dozen anthologies.

Reviews:
http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=239
http://www.wrmea.com/archives/April_2006/0604078.html
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4788.shtml
http://www.cypherbooks.org/books/release-zaatardiva.html#reviews