Ghassan Zaqtan: Selected Poems — The Silence That Remains

Description

Translated by Fady Joudah. Copper Canyon Press (paperback, 2017)

Publisher Marketing: “[A] rare occurrence in the poetry world.”–American Book Review

As a child, Ghassan Zaqtan lived in a refugee camp near the River Jordan. While that painful experience deeply influenced his poetry, when Zaqtan was awarded the prestigious Griffin International Prize, the judges noted: “His words turn dark into light, hatred into love, death into life. His magic leads us to the clearing where hope becomes possible, where healing begins across individuals, countries, races.”

When interviewed by PBS for their special on Palestinian poets, Zaqtan said, “I am not the kind of person who will walk in front of the demonstration. I walk behind the demonstration in order to collect the small things that may fall, whether it’s the handkerchief or a child’s backpack or a purse.”

This generous volume represents two decades of incandescent creativity.

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