Me enamoré así de una jaima de Adonis

Extracto del libro Éste es mi nombre de Adonis, el Salvador Dalí de la poesía universal. Es como si el poeta estuviera cansado de tanta tragedia que aqueja a su país, pero se deja transbordar por la fuerza poética y se ilusiona que la luz, es decir la ilustración, salve y reconcilie a su país. Ver el video en Youtube

 

Me enamoré así de una jaima:

Convertí la arena de sus pestañas

en árboles de lluvia, el desierto en nube.

Dije: esta jarra rota

es nación derrotada, este espacio

tiene los ojos enfermos. Ojos

como fosas. Dije: estrella

escondida en un árbol, la locura.

Veré los rasgos del cuervo

En las facciones de mi país,

a este libro llamaré mortaja,

cadáver a esta ciudad,

pájaros tristes llamaré a los árboles de Cham

(quizá de este nombre nazca

Una flor o una canción),

llamaré luna del desierto a la palmera

y tal vez así despierte la tierra

y se vuelva niña, ensueño de niña.

Ya nada cantará mis canciones:

Vendrán los renegados,

La luz acudirá a su cita…

 

Ver el video en Youtube

EL COLOR DEL AGUA

ADONIS (ALI AHMAD SAID) /
Traducción del árabe: María Luisa Prieto /

Tu color es el color del agua,
oh cuerpo del lenguaje
allí donde el agua es
levadura, rayo o fuego.

El agua se enciende y se convierte en rayo, se convierte
en levadura y en fuego,
en nenúfar
que pide mi almohada
para dormir…
Oh río del lenguaje,
viaja conmigo dos días, dos semanas por la levadura de los secretos,
recogeremos mares, descubriremos madreperlas,
lloveremos rubíes y ébano,
aprenderemos que la magia
es un hada negra
que no se enamora más que de el mar.
Viaja conmigo, aparece aquí… desaparece allí…
y pregunta conmigo, oh río del lenguaje,
por la concha que muere para convertirse
en nube roja
de lluvia,
en isla
que camina o vuela,
pregunta conmigo, oh río del lenguaje,
por una estrella cautiva
en las redes del agua
que lleva entre sus pechos
mis últimos días.
Pregunta conmigo, oh río del lenguaje,
por una piedra de la que brota el agua,
por una ola de la que nace la roca,
por el animal del almizcle, por una paloma de luz.
Desciende conmigo por el tragaluz de las tinieblas
al lugar
donde habita el tiempo roto
para que el lenguaje sea
un poema que se viste con el rostro del mar.

ALI AHMAD SAÏD ESBER (ADONIS) POET AND WRITER

Curriculum Vitae /

Ali Ahmad Saïd Esber
Pen name: ADONIS
Born in Qassabin, Syria – 1930
He lived and had his cultural activity in Beirut, Lebanon, mainly from 1956 to 1986
Nationality: Lebanese and French
Resides in France since 1986

Education

Schooling in Tartous and Lattaquié, Syria
B.A. at Damascus University, Syria, 1951-1954
Ph.D. at University of St Joseph, Beirut, 1970-1973

Teaching Experience

1971 – 1985: Lebanese University: Professor of Arabic Literature.
1971 – 1985: University of St Joseph, Beirut: Ph.D. Advisor
1980 – 1981: Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle (Censier-Paris III): Visiting professor of Arabic Literature.
1983: Collège de France, Paris: Invited to lecture on Modernity.
1985: Georgetown University: Invited to lecture on Modernity in Arab Culture.

Université de Genève / Associate professor in charge of a seminar on Arab Poetry.

Fellowship by Trans-regional Institute, Center of International Studies at Prinston University.

1998 – 1999: Fellowship – Institute of Advanced Studies in Berlin.
2000 – 2001: Fellowship – Institute of Advanced Studies in Berlin.

Cultural Activities

Co-founded and co-edited the literary review Shi’r.
1964: Founded the literary review Afâq.
1967: Founding member of the Lebanese Writer’s Union.

Founded the literary review Mawâqif of which he was editor in chief until 1995.

Other Activities

UNESCO, Paris: Permanent Representative of the Arab league.

Honors and Awards

1961: Prix de la revue Shi`r
1968: Prix des Amis du Livre, Beirut.
1971: Syria-Lebanon Award of the International Poetry Forum, Pittsburg.
1974: National Prize of Poetry, Beirut.
1983: Member of the Académie Stéphane Mallarmé.
1983: Appointed “Officier des Arts et des Lettres” by the Ministry of Culture, Paris.
1984: Exhibit at the “Maison de la Poésie”, Paris, and four readings. Followed by talks and comments by other poets and philosophers.
1984: Médaille Picasso, Accorded by UNESCO
1986: Guest of Honor, Pen Club Week, New York.
1986: Grand Prix des Biennales Internationales de la Poesie de Liège, Brussels
1990: Member of Académie Universelle des Cultures, Paris.
1991: Prix Jean-Marlieu-Etranger, Marseille.
1993: Feronia-Cita di Fiamo Prime, Rome.
1994: Nazim Hikmet Prize, Istanbul.
1995: Prix Méditerranée-Etranger, Paris.
1995: Prize of Lebanese Cultural Forum in France.
1997: Poetry Prize of Struga, Macedonia.
1999: Poetry Prize of Nonino, Italy.
2000: Prix Alain Bosquet, Paris.
2001: Prix Goethe. Germany
2004: Grade of Docteur Honoris Causa, from the Université de Genève.
2006: Medal of the Italian Cabinet. Awarded by the International Scientific Committee of the Manzu Centre.
2006: Prize of “ Pio Manzu – Centro Internazionale Recherche. “
2007: Grade of Docteur Honoris Causa, from the American University of Beirut.
2007: The Bjornson Prize – Norway
2008: Premio Grinzane Cavour per la Lettura. Italy.
2008: Prize Max Jacob for Poetry – France
2008: Prize Giovanni Pascoli – San Mauro – Italy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1- Poetry

1957: Qasâ’id Ûla, Beirut.
1958: Awrâk Fî l-Rîh, Beirut.
1961: Aghâni Mihiâr al-Dimashqî, Beirut.
1965: Kitâb al-Tahawwulât wal-Hijra fî Aqâlîm al-Nahâr wal-Layl, Beirut.
1968: Al-Masrah wal-Marâya, Beirut.
1970: Waqt Bayna l-Ramâd wal-Ward
1977: Mufrad bi-Sighat al-Jam’, Beirut.
1980: Kitâb al-Qasâ’id al-Khams, Beirut.
1985: Kitâb al-Hisâr, Beirut.
1987: Shahwa Tataqaddam fî Kharâ’it al-Mâdda, Casablanca.
1988: Ihtifâ’an bil-Ashyâ’ al-Wadihat al-Ghâmida, Beirut.
1994: Abjadiya Thânia, Casablanca.
1995: Al-Kitâb, vol. 1, Beirut.
1998: Al-Kitâb, vol. 2, Beirut
1998: Fahras li-A’mâl al-Rîh, Beirut.
2002: Al-Kitâb, vol. 3, Beirut.
2003: Awwal al-Jassad, Âkhir al-Bahr
2003: Tanabba’ Ayyuha’l ‘A’mâ.
2006: Tãriikh Yatamazzaq fii Jassad Imra`a
2007: Warraaq Yabii` Kutub al-Noujoum
2007: Ihda` Hamlet, Tanachchaq Junoun Ophelia.

2- Essays

1971: Muqaddima lil-Shi’r al-Arabî, Beirut.
1972: Zaman al-Shi’r, Beirut.
1974: AL-Thâbit wal-Mutahawwil, vol. 1, Beirut.
1977: AL-Thâbit wal-Mutahawwil, vol. 2, Beirut.
1978: AL-Thâbit wal-Mutahawwil, vol. 3, Beirut.
1980: Fâtiha li-Nihâyât al-Qarn, Beirut.
1985: Al-Shi’ryyat al-Arabyya, Beirut.
1985: Syasat al-Shi’r,Beirut.
1992: Al-Sûfiyya wal-Sureâliyya, London.
1993: Hâ Anta Ayyuha l-Waqt, Beirut.
1993: Al-Nizâm wal-Kalâm, Beirut.
1993: Al-Nass al-Qur’âni wa Âfâq al-Kitâba, Beirut.
2002: Mûsiqa al-Hût al-Azraq, Beirut.
2004: Al-Muheet al-Aswad, Beirut.
2008: Ra`s Al-Lughah, Jism Al-Sahra`, Beirut
2008: Al-Kitab Al-khitab Al-Hijab, Beirut

3- Anthologies

1963: Mukhtârât min Shi’r Yûsuf al-Khâl, Beirut.
1967: Mukhtârât min Shi’r al-Sayyâb, Beirut.
1964 – 1968: Diwân al-Shi’r al-‘Arabî, Beyrut. (3 Volumes).

4- Translations

From French into Arabic:

1972 – 75: Georges Schehadé, Théâtre Complet, 6 vol. , Beirut.
1972 – 75: Jean Racine, La Thébaïde, Phèdre, Beirut.
1976 – 78: Saint-John Perse, Eloges, La Gloire des Rois, Anabase, Exils, Neiges, Poèmes à l’étrangère, Amers, 2 vols. , Damascus.
1987: Yves Bonnefoye, Collected Poems, Damascus.
2002: Ovide, Métamorphosis, Abu Dhabi, Cultural Foundation.

From Arabic into French:

1988- Abu l-Alâ’ al-Ma’arrî, Rets d’éternité (excerpts from the Luzûmiyyât) in collaboration with Anne Wade Minkowski, ed . Fayard, Paris.
1998 – Khalil Gibran, Le Livre des Processions, in collaboration with Anne Wade Minkowski, éd. Arfuyen, Paris.

5- Translations of Adonis available in French:

Poetry

1982: Le Livre de la Migration, éd. Luneau Ascot, translated by martine Faideau, préface by Salah Stétié.
1983 : Chants de Mihyar le Damascène, éd. Sindbad, translated by Anne Wade Minkowsky, préface by Eugène Guillevic. Reprinted in 1995, Sindbad-Actes Sud.
1984: Les Résonances Les Origines, translated by Chawki Abdelamir and Serge Sautreau, éd. Nulle Part.
1984: Ismaël, translated by Chawki Abdelamir and Serge Sautreau, éd. Nulle Part.
1986: Tombeau pour New York, Suivi de Prologue à l’Histoire des Rois des Ta’ifa et de Ceci Est Mon Nom, ed. Sindbad translated by Anne W. Minkowsky. Reprinted in 1999, by éd. Sindbad/Actes Sud.
1989: Cheminement du Désir Dans la Géographie de la Matière, éd. PAP, translated by A. W. Minkowski.
1990: Le Temps Les Villes, éd. Mercure de France, translated by Jacques Berque and A. W. Minkowski, in collaboration with the author.
1991: Célébrations, éd. La Différence, translated by A. W. M.
1991: Chronique des Branches, éd. la Différence, translated by A.W.M. préface by Jacques Lacarrière.
1991: Mémoire du Vent ( anthology), éd. Poésie/Gallimard, translated by C. Abdelamir, Claude Estéban, S. Sautreau, André Velter, A. W. M. and the author, préface by A. Velter. Reprinted in 1994, 97, 99, 2000, 03, 05.
1994: La Madâ’a,éd. PAP, Translated by A. W. M.
1994 : La Main de la Pierre Dessine le Lieu, éd. PAP, translated by A. W. M.
1994: Soleils Seconds, éd. Mercure de France, translated by Jacques Berque.
1995: Singuliers éd. Sindbad/Actes Sud, translated by Jacques Berque re-édited by éd . Gallimard 2002
1997: Au Sein d’un Alphabet Second, 2d. Origine, translated by A. W. M.
2003: Toucher La Lumière, éd. Imprimerie Nationale, présentation, Jean Yves Masson, translated by A. W. Minkowski.
2004: Commencement Du Corps Fin De L’Océan, éd. Mercure de France, translated by Vénus Khoury-Ghata.
2004: Alep, in collaboration with the artist photographer Carlos Freire, éd. Imprimerie Nationale, translated by Renée Herbouze,
2007: Le Livre I – Al Kitâb I, edit. du Seuil, Traduit par Houriyya Abdel-Wahed.
2008: Histoire qui se déchire sur le corps d’une femme. Ed. Mercure de France Traduit par Houriyya Abdel-Wahed.

Essays

1985: Introduction à la Poétique Arabe, éd; Shndbad, forword by Yves Bonnefoy, translated by Bassam Tahhan and A.W. M.
1993: La Prière et l’Epée (essays on arab culture), éd. Mercure de France, intoduction by A. W. M., édited by Jean-Yves Masson, translated by Layla Khatîb and A. W. M.
2001: Amitié, Temps et Lumière, co-author Dimitri Analis, éd. Obsidiane.
2004: Identité Inachevée, in collaboration with Chantal Chawwaf,éd. du Rocher.
2006: Conversation avec Adonis, mon père, co-author Ninar Esber éd. Seuil.

6- A great number of translations have been published in other languages, including English, Italian, German, Greek, Hebrew, Norvegian, Persian, Spanish, Swedish, polish, Macedonian, Turkish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Indonesian.

Available in English:

1990: An Introduction to Arab Poetics, (essay) Saqi Books, London, translated By Catherine Cobham.
1992: Atif Y. Faddul, The Poetics of T. S. Eliot and Adonis, a comparative study, Alhamra Publishers.
1994: The Pages of Day and Night, The Marlboro Press, Marlboro Vermont, translated by Samuel Hazo.
2003: If Only the Sea Could Sleep, éd. Green Integer 77, translated by Kamal Bullata, Susan Einbinder and Mirène Ghossein.
2004: A Time Between Ashes and Roses, Poems, With a forward of Nasser Rabbat, ed. Syracuse University Press, translation, critical Arabic edition by Shawkat M. Toorawa.
2005: Sufism and Surrealism, (essay) edit. by Saqi Books, translated by Judith Cumberbatch.
2008: Mihyar of Damascus: His Songs. Translated by Adnan Haydar and Michael Beard – USA

7- Critical studies and appreciations in French:

1991: N° 16 of the review “Détours d’Ecriture”, Paris.
1991: N° 96 of the review “Sud”, Marseille.
1995: N° 8 of the review “L’Oeil du Boeuf”, Paris.
1996: May issue of the review “Esprit”, Paris.
1998: N° 2 of the review “Autre Sud” Marseille.
1998: N° 28 of the review “Pleine Marge”, Paris.
2000: Michel Camus, Adonis le Visionnaire, éd. Du Rocher.

Some 19 Arabic books and a great number of Academic dissertations on Adonis poetry are available.

ART EXHIBITIONS

2000: Berlin – Institute for Advanced Studies
2000: Paris – L`Institut du Monde Arabe
2003: Paris – Area Gallery
2007: Amman -Shuman`s Gallery (co-exhibition With Haydar)
2008: Damascus – Atassy Gallery, exh. For 4 Poets-Painters (with works of Fateh Mudarress, Etel Adnan, Samir Sayegh)
2008: Paris – Le Louvre des Antiquaires: Calligraphies d`Orient. (Collectif)