Reviews for The Poetry of Arab Women: A Contemporary Anthology

The average rating for The Poetry of Arab Women: A Contemporary Anthology based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-05-01 00:00:00 Barbara Whittam I write the disappointments of distances 'Wafaa Lamrani * Jerusalem, fold me like a handkerchief into your bosom. I am one word in a lover's letter, a chip of blue tile in your sky. Even those who have never seen you walk your streets at night. 'Lisa Suhair Majaj * Words flow through my fingers like stars, pattern the sea. Vowels swim like fish. Each dawn I cast my net, reel in silver coils, rinse brine from my name. 'Lisa Suhair Majaj * It is memories that hide you in a small bottle until thirst fills your being and you fall in pain drop after drop ' Houda al-Namani * When my soul is overrun by the yearnings for my self, do I find it reflected in other's eyes? Maybe... [...] When we deny it when I erase you from my being and when you erase me. Does myself still remain myself? ' Thurayya al-Urayyid

Review # 2 was written on 2017-06-07 00:00:00 Sean Clarkin An anthology that includes poets of a rare demographic, Arab women. It seems like our narrative is constantly written for us, edited and handed over, all bound and glossy...we're expected to smile and swallow it without any sugar to help it go down easy. I'm glad that Handal was able to put together this collection, it might be especially helpful for those who might not understand the brown female experience. For writers like me who fit the description, I was surprised at how similar my own work was to these women..not in skill (I have a long way to go) but in the way we spin our tales, our observations. The only criticism I have, and I'm not sure if it could have been helped, but I wish there were more writings from countries that don't have the most celebrated literary scenes. I loved the Syrian & Iraqi poets but where were the Sudani, Libyan, or Saudi poets? I understand that this requires a bit more research and labor but I believe it would have been worth it, maybe in time. Nonetheless, a beautiful read.