Wine poetry is a genre of arab poetry dedicated to praise wine or beer. So abu nuwas dubbed some people, because he was raised as a theme of his poetry illicit beverage. Dec 04, 20 so abu nuwas dubbed some people, because he was raised as a theme of his poetry illicit beverage. Jim colville interprete, poems of wine and revelry.
Abu nuwas abu nuwas 756758 8815 ce was a leading arabic poet who transformed arabic poetry about wine, love, the obscene, and hunting in ways that influenced poetry from the. His style was extravagant, and his compositions reflected well the licentious manners of the upper classes of his day. Despite being a household name in the arab world, the 9thcentury poet abu nuwas is all but unknown in english. Foreman sing me a song, sweet sulayman, and quench me with sweet wine.
He was particularly noted for his celebrations in verse of wine and boys. Sep 27, 2014 poem hunter all poems of by abu nuwas poems. Abu nuwas abu nuwas 756758 8815 ce was a leading arabic poet who transformed arabic poetry about wine, love, the obscene. Abu nuwas alhasan ibn hani alhakami 756814 love and wine ho. His wine poetry and erotic poetry were by any standards singularly inventive. Abu nuwas, of mixed arab and persian heritage, studied in basra and alkufah, first under the poet walibah ibn al.
Carousing with gazelles, homoerotic songs of old baghdad. Abu nuwas s wine poems take advantage of the apparent contradiction at the heart of normative discourse. Khammariya, what abu nuwas perfected as wine poetry, had ardent readers and listeners around the world. The complicated and scandalous history of islamic wine poetry. A genius of poetry 2005, philip kennedy recounts four different versions of nuwass death. New translation of medieval arab poetry in praise of wine to. He wanted to sing in praise of wine though at times when he knew he had ruffled. Two poems of abu nuwas, islamic poet of male love its a. His poetry is relateable to any free spirit who enjoys indulging in. However, his poems on wine khamriyyat, homosexual love mudhakkarat and ribaldry majouniyyat are his best known and have earned him his notoriety.
A rhyming english translation of the ninthcentury khamriyyat wine poems of abu nuwas. His poetry is relateable to any free spirit who enjoys indulging in the pleasures of the senses. The care and feeding of gazelles medieval arabic and hebrew love poetry. Nov 16, 2017 however, abu nuwas made a point of saying that he drinks khamr, adds rowell, referring to the arabic word for stronger wine.
A beirutbased journalist and managing editor of aljumhuriya english, rowell burst onto the scene in 2017 with his debut book, vintage humour. Sep 11, 2011 abunuwas alhasan ben hani alhakami 756814, best known simply as abunuwas, was one of the greatest of classical arabic poets, who also composed in persian on occasion. Sep 07, 2007 abu nuwas s looks attracted the poet waliba ibn alhubab and the two males became lovers. His love poems are about beautiful boys, often embodied in the figure of the saqi, the christian wine boy at the tavern. Born in the city of ahvaz in persia, he was of arab and persian descent he is generally regarded as one of the greatest of classical arabic poets. Abu nuwas was the pen name of hasin ibn hani al hakami, born of persian parents around the middle of the eighth century in ahwaz.
The poet in question was abu nuwas, whose historical exploits were later transformed into the almost magical, tricksterlike antics of the legendary abu nuwas who figures as a character in the thousand and one nights. When the bottle comes around, pass it with your hands into mine. However, abu nuwas made a point of saying that he drinks khamr, adds rowell, referring to the arabic word for stronger wine. The khamriyyat or collected wine poems of one of early islams most celebrated poets, abu nuwas, are to be released with a new english translation next month. We know the hijaz region in which islam was born was already steeped in wine we know this from the poetry that precedes islam, he explains. Abu nuwas, the first and foremost islamic gay poet. His character, as painted in this great master compendium of arabic, persian and indian stories, matches the portrait we can infer from his authentic poetry. In the sudanese novel season of migration to the north 1966 by tayeb salih, abu nuwas s love poetry is cited. Oct 20, 2019 abu nuwas led a peaceful life as the greatest wine poets from arabia, for islam in its fledgling days knew how deeprooted the love for wine was among the people. With a scholarly biographical essay on abu nuwas, largely taken from ewald wagners biographical entry in the encyclopedia of islam. As hakim bey points out in a legendary life of abu nuwas, the scholarly biographical essay that occupies the second half of this volume, abu nuwas made the transition from slave to streetboy to poet, playing the. My eyes are fixed upon his delightful body and i do not wonder at his beauty more in the bathhouse.
New translation of medieval arab poetry in praise of wine. Abu nuwas was born in ahwaz on the karun river in western persia. Philip kennedy, associate professor at new york university abu dhabi and author of the wine song in classical arabic poetry. Abu nuwas poems poems of abu nuwas poem hunter poetry. Samer traboulsi and omar mohammad for their readings.
His style was extravagant and his compositions reflected the licentious manners of the upper classes of his day. Abu nuwas and the literary tradition and abu nuwas. The endeavour to render these in a contemporary english idiom is laudable, and often strikingly successful. Abu nuwas translated wine poetry collection will be published. Abu nawas was arabicpersian poet who became one of the iconic symbols of abbasid poetry. Despite being a household name in the arab world, the 9thcentury poet abu nuwas is. Abu nuwas migrated to baghdad and soon became renowned for his witty and humorous poetry, which dealt not with the traditional desert themes, but with urban life and the joys of wine and drinking khamriyyat, loving adolescent boys and young men mudhakkarat, and ribald humor mujuniyyat. Curst and poor is every hour that sober i must go, but rich am i wheneer well drunk i stagger to and fro. The islamic wine poetry of abu nuwas translated by alex rowell 224pp. One of the greatest of arabic poets indeed, the greatest in the opinion of some critics abu nuwas wrote accomplished verse that demonstrated his technical mastery of all the major genres. Phenomenal woman, still i rise, the road not taken, if you forget me, dreams.
Abu nuwas flits through the 1001 nights as a minor personage in numerous tales. Though abu nuwas wrote various kinds of verse, he is most famous for his wine poems, likely written to entertain the baghdad elite. Abu nuwas translated wine poetry collection will be. The islamic wine poetry of abu nuwas hurst publishers. Abunuwas alhasan ben hani alhakami 756814, best known simply as abunuwas, was one of the greatest of classical arabic poets, who also composed in persian on occasion.
He is perhaps best known for his khamriyyat wine poems. Born in saudi arabia and raised in the united arab emirates, alex rowell is a british journalist and translator who originally started tackling abu nuwas s wine poems as a hobby to practice his. Poet of wine, desire, the hunt, and the abbasid empire. Jul 05, 2016 i first discovered abu nuwas 756814 in a somewhat prude monograph entitled mujun. In the bathhouse in the bathhouse, the mysteries hidden by trousers. So antique is the wine that were she to have the gift of an eloquent tongue she would sit like an elder among the people, upright, and regale them with tales of ancient nations. May 21, 2018 the best of the wine poets not to mention the wine drinkers was abu nuwas d. He also entered the folkloric tradition, appearing several times in one thousand and one nights.
In literary history, he is remembered chiefly as the harddrinking and eloquent composer of dissolute wine poems, from which he emerges as one of the most charismatic figures in world literature. His latest obsession is the novels of kurt vonnegut and ninth century arabic hunting poetry. Theological epistles, both for the library of arabic literature. Free love and good wine were recurring and rather common themes in their writings. Two involve the poet being framed and murdered for writing a satirical poem, one says he drank himself to death, and one says he died in prison, probably after being jailed for a. Seventeen poems by abu nuwas translated by jaafar abu tarab.
Abu nuwas poems, quotations and biography on abu nuwas poet page. A heavily fictionalised abu nuwas is the protagonist of the novels the father of locks dedalus books, 2009 and the khalifahs mirror 2012 by andrew killeen, in which he is depicted as a spy working for jafar albarmaki. If anyone should be interested in expanding their horizons, i could supply the names of. Read all poems of abu nuwas and infos about abu nuwas. The millions of muslims around the world who drink may do so knowing that some of the religions greatest poets, thinkers, scientists, and politicians enjoyed a glass or two. His collected poems, or diwan, includes around 1,500 works that explore pleasure, sexuality, especially homosexuality, and religion. A genius of poetry rowell offers us a delightful and dazzling englishlanguage revival of abu nuwass khamriyyat at an opportune moment, when the memory of the islamic golden age is fading. With cups of comfort wash the call to prayer from my mind. Meet abu nuwas, the arab poet who held a glass of wine. I first discovered abu nuwas 756814 in a somewhat prude monograph entitled mujun. Dec 21, 2017 in this exclusive extract from his upcoming book, alex rowell argues there is no reason the arabic wine poetry of abu nuwas cannot be called islamic. A genius of poetry rowell offers us a delightful and dazzling englishlanguage revival of abu nuwass khamriyyat at an opportune moment, when the memory of the islamic.
Abu nuwass looks attracted the poet waliba ibn alhubab and the two males became lovers. He became a master of all the contemporary genres of arabic poetry, but his reputation rests on his wine songs khamriyyat, and his poems of boy love mudhakkarat. The islamic wine poetry of abu nuwas by alex rowell isbn. The poet in question was abu nuwas, whose historical exploits were later transformed into the almost magical, tricksterlike antics of. Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Hakim summarizes abu nuwass achievement as a literary figure and legendary character thus. May 01, 2018 philip kennedy, associate professor at new york university abu dhabi and author of the wine song in classical arabic poetry. Speak, for shame, the loved ones name, let vain disguises fall. Abu nuwas translated wine poetry collection will be published the festival saw men, women and children grinning from eartoear as they cycled along the gardens of upmarket abu nawas street in central baghdad. Meet abu nuwas, the arab poet who held a glass of wine close. If anyone should be interested in expanding their horizons, i could supply the names of some authors who have been translated.
He is an onandoff contributor to bbc radio 3 and 4. The best of the wine poets not to mention the wine drinkers was abu nuwas d. Abu nuwas article about abu nuwas by the free dictionary. Abu nuwas led a peaceful life as the greatest wine poets from arabia, for islam in its fledgling days knew how deeprooted the love for wine was among the people. Abu nuwas and his friend, and fellow poet, the caliph haroun alrashid, might have tried to do the right thing, but they would scarcely be classified as religious poets. Libertinism in medieval arabic poetry mujan meaning callous, and by derivation, libertine.
Abu nawas article about abu nawas by the free dictionary. The islamic wine poetry of abu nuwas by aljumhuriya english editor alex rowell, due to be. Poet abu nuwas born in 786 ad was made of different stuff. Arabic literature has a distinguished tradition of bacchanals but none are so consistently entertaining, explicit or iconoclastic as those of abu nuwas alhasan ibn. The first proper english translation for abu nuwas wine poems khamriyat will be released next month by author and researcher alex rowell. The collected poems of abu nuwas set in iraq in the late eighth century c.
The poet in question was abu nuwas, whose historical exploits were later transformed into the almost magical, tricksterlike antics of the legendary abu nuwas. In the bathhouse, the mysteries hidden by trousers are revealed to you. Abu nuwas wrote erotic love poems mudhakkarat and mujuniyyat. The painted figure is relevant to abu nuwass poetry, which sometimes describes the wine cask as a body the wine being its soul, or as a person in general. Jun 12, 2019 for the first time ever, the khamriyyat wine songs of abbasid poet abu nuwas will be available in english as complete rhymes. Abu nawas, witty poets not just a fairy tale unique and. Arabic literature has a distinguished tradition of bacchanals but none are so consistently entertaining, explicit or iconoclastic as those of abu nuwas alhasan ibn hani alhakami c. The following is a short extract from the introduction to vintage humour. But he is remembered mainly for the former,with its erotic often homosexual elements,and especially for the licentiousness associated with it. The islamic wine poetry of abu nuwas rowell, alex on. One of the greatest of arabic poets indeed, the greatest in the opinion of some critics abu nuwas wrote accomplished.
Abu nuwas was one of the most important poets of 8thcentury islamic world. A genius of poetry rowell offers us a delightful and dazzling englishlanguage revival of abu nuwas s khamriyyat at an opportune moment, when the memory of the islamic. The first one i came across, the wine in heaven, is vintage abu nuwas. For the first time ever, the khamriyyat wine songs of abbasid poet abu nuwas will be available in english as complete rhymes. Mornings in the sky, already its flaxen loincloth shines. In khumrayat poem, he described the delicacy and ugliness, exploitation, processing, taste, color. Acknowledgements lance herrington, eric huang, david herrington, michael muzzie for their technical and artistic skills. Meet abu nuwas, the arab poet who held a glass of wine close to. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Abu nawas, witty poets not just a fairy tale unique. Nov 14, 2017 for the first time ever, the khamriyyat wine songs of abbasid poet abu nuwas will be available in english as complete rhymes. High in favor with the caliphs harun arrashid and amin, he lived a courtiers life.
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