Speak, for shame, the loved ones name, let vain disguises fall. 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. One of the greatest of arabic poets indeed, the greatest in the opinion of some critics abu nuwas wrote accomplished verse that demonstrated 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 subsequent ascension of muhammad alamin, harun alrashids twentytwoyearold libertine son and former student of abu nuwas was a mighty stroke of luck for abu nuwas. Abu nuwas and the literary tradition and abu nuwas. Abu nuwas alhasan ibn hani alhakami was born in alahwaz. Ingrams divided his biographical discussion into three parts. But forcing the king and abu nuwas can not refused. Synopsis source for information on the diwan of abu nuwas. It is only in the original language that the poem is. 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. Abu nawas, the nickname of their author, lived in baghdad, iraq, during the reign of harun al rashid 763809 and was considered the most accomplished arab poet of his age. In english the only major work about abu nuwas, which also contains many of his poems, is w.
The diwan of abu nuwasthe litrary work the collected poems of abu nuwas set in iraq in the late eighth century c. Abu nuwas was born in ahwaz on the karun river in western persia. A translation of two classical arabic poets pdf swarthmore. The two poets i have translated here, abu nuwas and al mutanabbi, are representatives. 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. Abu nuwas simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It contains useful explanations the author likes sometimes to use instead, the word exegesis, to the complex world of arabic poetry and culture of the eighth century. At first, abu nuwas refused to contest because he knew that all this is the guile of abu jahil who want to oust him from the palace. His style was extravagant, and his compositions reflected well the licentious manners of the upper classes of his day. His full name was abu nuwas alhasan ibn hani alhakami. Read all poems of abu nuwas and infos about abu nuwas. However, he underwent a change and repented to god.
His style was extravagant and his compositions reflected the licentious manners of the upper classes of his day. Abu nawas hassanlbnhaunikhuzestani 750 8 was an early arabic language poet, probably born at ahwaz in persia. Einst befand sich abunuwas in gesellschaft des chalifen emin bei einem zechgelage. If anyone should be interested in expanding their horizons, i could supply the names of some authors who have been translated. 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 wit that made abu nuwas into a legend is demonstrated to good advantage throughout this collection.
Credo wakhaiymati naturin wine of paradise a boy is worth more than a girl in the bathhouse the true jihad most poems cited here are the editors own adaptations, freely based on the quoted. The appearance of abu nuwas poetry in alfunun was very appropriate in that he has been regarded by later day critics as the representative of a modern school of poets during his day. This rather short introduction 8 pages, to abu nuwas poetry gives a general idea of his work, with a scholarly critical approach. His tales spread far and wide in the arab countries around the mediterranean sea but also in turkey, uzbekistan and beyond. Take some coy lad with kisscurls twisting on his temple and ride as he stands like some gazelle standing to her mate.
Curst and poor is every hour that sober i must go, but rich am i wheneer well drunk i stagger to and fro. Jan 12, 2018 philip kennedy, associate professor at new york university abu dhabi and author of the wine song in classical arabic poetry. Thus, abu nuwas was called to appear before, and after facing king harun alrashid, abu nuwas was given lengthy instructions. 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, father of curls, so named for his long flowing hair that hung down to his shoulders, was the greatest arab poet of his time, or as some claim, the greatest arab poet of all time. Classical arabic poetry download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl.
Abu nuwas article about abu nuwas by the free dictionary. 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. Poet abu nuwas, his boys, and the caliph, pederasty. However, his poems on wine khamriyyat, homosexual love mudhakkarat and ribaldry majouniyyat are his best known and have earned him his notoriety. But there is more than the great rochester in abu nuwas. Abu nuwas abu ali alhasan ibn hani alhakami was born around 760 in southwestern persia, now a borderland between iran and iraq. High in favor with the caliphs harun arrashid and amin, he lived a courtiers life.
His first teacher was the poet waliba ibn alhubab died 786, a master who. Abu nuwas who did understand correctly that the pitcher who brought his master was specific to honey, he can not do much. Abu nuwas was a person who loved to drink and say obscene things, such that he would even make up verses of poetry and sing about inappropriate things. Abu nuwas died in prison and when the people came to take away his body, they found a scrap of paper with this poem written on it. Abu nuwas was one of the most important poets of 8thcentury islamic world. At that time, abu nuwas thought to be taking the honey without offending employer. Abu nuwas alhasan ibn hani alhakami 756814 love and wine ho.
The last poem of abu nuwas poem by abu nuwas poem hunter. Extracts from abu nuwas diwan collection of poetry when he, brought up in luxury, appeared, his face was naked, bare of blemish, while he was clad in clothes of seduction. Abu nuwas, aa alhasan ibn hani, alhakami addimaschqi. Poet of wine, desire, the hunt, and the abbasid empire.
The connection between the poetry of ted hughes and abu nuwas james montgomery has translated three poems by abu nuwas for australias cordite magazine. Biographies differ on the date of abu nuwas birth, ranging from 747 to 762. Profiles of notable literary works and the historic events that influenced them. 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. May 01, 2005 this rather short introduction 8 pages, to abu nuwas poetry gives a general idea of his work, with a scholarly critical approach. Abu nuwas abu nuwas 756758 8815 ce was a leading arabic poet who transformed arabic poetry about wine, love, the obscene. Homosexual poetry abu nuwas famous gay islamic poet.
Two poems of abu nuwas, islamic poet of male love 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. Acknowledgements lance herrington, eric huang, david herrington, michael muzzie for their technical and artistic skills. As the examples cited above should indicate, nuwaw is not mere verse, as boylove poetry sometimes is, but real poetry, poetry that is often sublime. One of the most famous arabic language poets in history was a man named abu nuwas. James montgomery has translated three poems by abu nuwas for australias cordite magazine since reading abdelfattah kilitos arabs and the art of storytelling, i cannot help but think of how ancient poets like abu nuwas would regard translations of their work. His remaining poetry, which contain many panegyrics to the barmakids of baghdad and alamin the son of harun alrashid, imbued a freshness into the genre of.
His persian mother, named jullaban, worked as a weaver. The poet in question was abu nuwas, whose historical. 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. In addition to his literary talent, he was particularly know for the rowdy content of his writings. Abu nuwas, the first and foremost islamic gay poet. Tales of abunuwas and other stories are translations of hadithi za abunuwasi na hadithi nyingine, from swahili into english by john lewisbarned and retold here by his daughter suzi lewisbarned. Abu nuwas poems, quotations and biography on abu nuwas poet page. Abu nuwas father, hani, whom the poet never knew, was an arab, a descendant of the jizani tribe banu hakam, and a soldier in the army of marwan ii. With a scholarly biographical essay on abu nuwas, largely taken from ewald wagners biographical entry in the encyclopedia of islam. The vast body of abu nuwas s work remains untranslated from arabic. Kilito certainly thinks these translations are something of a sacrilege. Born in the city of ahvaz in modernday iran, to an arab. Reading widely through his poetry one might come to sense that genius shows itself in amazingly similar ways in different cultures.
He would praise the joys of getting drunk, describe in vivid detail his desire for women and men and all in all. People were surprisedabu nuwas, who was a known drunkard. He studied in basra under the mentorship of the poets abu usama waliba ibn alhubab alasad and khalaf alahmar, and spent his adult life in baghdad. A lad whom all can see girt with sword and belt not like your whore who has to go veiled. They knew that this poet was just faking a repentance until he was released. Abunawas hassanlbnhaunikhuzestani 750 8 was an early arabic language poet, probably born at ahwaz in persia. 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 diwan of abu nuwasthe litrary work the collected poems of abu. Samer traboulsi and omar mohammad for their readings. Whilst the abunuwasi tales are available in english translations from the arabic originals, these translations into english from an early. Since reading abdelfattah kilitos arabs and the art of storytelling, i cannot help but think of how ancient poets like abu nuwas would regard translations of their work. Manual of style, and the american psychological association apa. In fact, most scholars believe that abu nuwas wrote most of his poems during the reign of alamin, a caliph who shared abu nuwas tastes for wine and boys. The poet in question was abu nuwas, whose historical exploits were later transformed into the. For those who cannot read the poems in the original arabic, a translation is the only available option. Abunuwas alhasan ben hani alhakami 750810, or abunuwas, was a classical arabic poet. Nov 08, 2015 knowing abu nuwas and his character, people dismissed his repentance as merely for show and a ploy to gain his freedom. The collected poems of abu nuwas set in iraq in the late eighth century c. Seventeen poems by abu nuwas translated by jaafar abu tarab. The connection between the poetry of ted hughes and abu nuwas.
1235 247 1201 281 376 1390 1442 1009 406 1236 767 146 1263 1037 953 1065 948 192 1038 240 244 1338 1194 964 405 1102 403 944 728 884 209 641 409 501 901 309 1227 1491 954 930 1130 1354 721 1227 391