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Interview about Syrian poet Al Jarrah
“Al Jarrah’s poetry stem from Greek Mythology”
1 Jul 2012 12:33
Nouri al-Jarrah’s 4th poetry book is about to be published in Persian in Iran. According to the translator of his works, Jarrah’s poetry has traces of Greek mythology in them in a modern fashion.
IBNA: Hamzeh Kouti, translator of Jarrah’s works into Persian, is currently busy having his translations of Arabic poetry pieces published in the Iranian book market. He had an interview with IBNA in which he talked about Jarrah’s poetry style and his own poetry collection into Arabic. In his interview, he asserted that Jarrah’s poetry is influenced by the Greek mythology and is themed at social and emotional matters.
Hamlet Gardens, Death’s Childhood and the Iranian Garden are some of the published translations of Kouti in Persian from Jarrah’s works.
As he said, he has finished the translation of other pieces from the Syria poet like Qasida and Future Qasidas, the Black Cup, the April Ascent, and the Path to Damascus. In Qasida and Future Qasidas, the poet talks to his own God.
Kouti went on to say that the Black Cup is a 90-page collection of 20 short and long poetry pieces by Jarrah. Most of the pieces in the collection have many aesthetic features which can be interpreted in terms of mythology and aesthetics.
Kouti further added that the April Ascent is the collection which catapulted Jarrah into the world of poetry. Jarrah has once said that he began poetry by the collection and found his real self through its verses. The collection encompasses a series of short and long pieces like the Black Cup.
According to Kouti, the Path to Damascus is arranged in 4 parts; the first part is about the poet’s journey to Damascus. In other words, the section assesses the spiritual past and future of the city through Jarrah’s point of view.
Jarrah made an internal journey to Damascus and has reflected his feelings in his verses, Kouti added.
Kouti said, “His poetry cannot be restricted to a certain genre. His works are both emotional and social at the same time. Also, they are influenced by Greek mythology as well.”
He noted that Jarrah casts a modern and contemporary look at the Greek mythology. He modifies them in many cases to adjust them to the theme of his poetry pieces.
Elsewhere in his interview, Kouti said he has a number of Arabic compositions which he has never published before. “I have decided to collect and publish the pieces I have composed in the past 10 years,” he said. “My pieces are mostly made in the free style and focus on social issues with humans and the nature as its backbone.”
