About this Piece

Nizar Qabbani was born in 1923 in Syria to a traditional, well-to-do family. Qabbani’s poetry has been described “more powerful than all the Arab regimes put together” (Lebanese Daily Star), and “like water, bread, and sun in every Arab heart and house” (Tishreen). Qabbani’s verses are simple and direct, describing everyday life. He was a constant campaigner for women’s rights, and a great many of his poems praise the beauty of the feminine form. He was an Arab nationalist, but openly criticized Arab dictators for the lack of freedom that they caused throughout the Arab world. He worked as a diplomat in Syria for more than two decades, but settled in London in the mid-1960’s for political reasons. Qabbani died in London in 1998, and is buried in Damascus.