Adonis (person)

Travelling,
but staying still.
0, sun,
how do I attain the skill
of your footsteps?

Adonis (Ali Ahmad Said Asbar) is considered by many as being one of the most influential modern Arab poets. His works combine the traditional Arabic poetic style with a new manner of expressing modern sentiments.

Born in Kassabia in 1930, Adonis was strongly influenced by classical Shi'i poets, but in his twenties he begun to experiment with the prose poem, giving it density, tension, metaphors and rhythm. He also broke the strict diction and style of traditional poems, and introduced a new and powerful syntax structure. He often uses myths from religions other than Islam, especially the resurrecting gods Tammuz, Adonis and Phoenix, all central symbols of his poetry. His other interests include European surrealism (which exerted a great influence on his more recent works) and contemporary political theories both in Europe and the Middle East.

Like most Arab poets, Adonis often employs the technique of 'tarab'. 'Tarab' aims at a sort of ecstasy reached when the musicality of the verse corresponds with the visions and thoughts expressed in the poem. This mastery of a difficult technique might account for the oft-repeated praise: "Adonis has a thing for voices". As with many of his writings, he employs human characters to voice out his thoughts and ideas. The words of the poems are not just written on the page, they're meant to be spoken aloud. This poetic tactic, if you will, accentuates his writing. The voices add depth to the written word, making the spoken words seem more believable, more human. According to his admirers, Adonis has mastered this art of putting onto page what is spoken between people.

During his life, Adonis has played many roles: at various times, he has been a philosopher (a degree from Damascus University), a political prisoner, a refugee, a journalist and most recently, a university professor in Lebanon. His name Adonis was given to him by the leader of the Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party, Antun Saada.

Prayer

0, Phoenix, I pray
that you remain in the ashes,
that you don't glimpse the light or rise.
We've neither experienced your night
nor sailed across the darkness.
0, Phoenix, I pray
that the magic die,
that our rendezvous be in
the fire and the ashes.
0, Phoenix, I pray
that madness be our guide.

SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY

1961: Songs of Mihyar, the Damascene
1971: Introduction of Arab Poetry
1978: The Shock of Modernity
1980: Manifesto of Modernity