Loss Sings

The seventh-century poet Tumadir, also known as al-Khansaʾ—a sobriquet that means “the Snub-nosed Gazelle doe”—survived both her brothers. Her poetic output consists of dirges for those dead brothers. In Loss Sings, James Montgomery translates a number of these dirges from the Arabic and weaves a cahier around them. Bringing this little-known ancient Arabic poet to contemporary readers for the first time, Montogomery intersperses personal and poignant observations throughout the collection as he explores related elements of death and loss. 

 

Poetul Tumadir din secolul al VII-lea, cunoscut si sub numele de al-Khansaʾ - un sobriquet care inseamna „doe Gazelle cu nasul Snub” - a supravietuit ambilor frati. Productia ei poetica consta in directii pentru acei frati morti.