Description
Discover 'You Can Be the Last Leaf,' a poignant collection of poetry by Palestinian poet Maya Abu Al-Hayyat, translated beautifully from Arabic by Fady Joudah. This compelling trade paperback, published by esteemed Milkweed Editions in 2022, artfully explores the profound yet ordinary moments of life under Israeli occupation. Readers are taken through vivid imagery and raw emotions, depicting life with art, garlic, and the weight of sleepy soldiers at checkpoints. Each poem resonates deeply, capturing themes of desire, loss, and the surreal aspects of everyday life, making it a must-read for poetry lovers and those interested in contemporary Palestinian literature.
Immerse yourself in the intricate layers of memory and longing as Abu Al-Hayyat portrays the essential dualities of home and conflict, infusing humor, tenderness, and strength into her verses. In her work, the intimate and political coexist, urging readers to reflect on the boundaries of existence amid chaos. With lines that question survival and contemplate the unseen narratives drawn from personal experiences, this collection is an evocative exploration of the human spirit.
Free shipping is available for this item. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Note that once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Perfect for readers yearning for a deeper understanding of life in Palestine, 'You Can Be the Last Leaf' stands as a testament to resilience and beauty amidst adversity.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781571315403
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2022
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Description:
Translated from the Arabic and introduced by Fady Joudah, You Can Be the Last Leaf draws on two decades of work to present the transcendent and timely US debut of Palestinian poet Maya Abu Al-Hayyat.
Art. Garlic. Taxis. Sleepy soldiers at checkpoints. The smell of trash on a winter street, before “our wild rosebush, neglected / by the gate, / blooms.” Lovers who don’t return, the possibility that you yourself might not return. Making beds. Cleaning up vomit. Reading recipes. In You Can Be the Last Leaf, these are the ordinary and profound—sometimes tragic, sometimes dreamy, sometimes almost frivolous—moments of life under Israeli occupation.
Here, private and public domains are inseparable. Desire, loss, and violence permeate the walls of the home, the borders of the mind. And yet that mind is full of its own fierce and funny voice, its own preoccupations and strangenesses. “It matters to me,” writes Abu Al-Hayyat, “what you’re thinking now / as you coerce your kids to sleep / in the middle of shelling”: whether it’s coming up with “plans / to solve the world’s problems,” plans that “eliminate longing from stories, remove exhaustion from groans,” or dreaming “of a war / that’s got no war in it,” or proclaiming that “I don’t believe in survival.”
In You Can Be the Last Leaf, Abu Al-Hayyat has created a richly textured portrait of Palestinian interiority—at once wry and romantic, worried and tenacious, and always singing itself.
Immerse yourself in the intricate layers of memory and longing as Abu Al-Hayyat portrays the essential dualities of home and conflict, infusing humor, tenderness, and strength into her verses. In her work, the intimate and political coexist, urging readers to reflect on the boundaries of existence amid chaos. With lines that question survival and contemplate the unseen narratives drawn from personal experiences, this collection is an evocative exploration of the human spirit.
Free shipping is available for this item. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Note that once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Perfect for readers yearning for a deeper understanding of life in Palestine, 'You Can Be the Last Leaf' stands as a testament to resilience and beauty amidst adversity.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781571315403
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2022
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Description:
Translated from the Arabic and introduced by Fady Joudah, You Can Be the Last Leaf draws on two decades of work to present the transcendent and timely US debut of Palestinian poet Maya Abu Al-Hayyat.
Art. Garlic. Taxis. Sleepy soldiers at checkpoints. The smell of trash on a winter street, before “our wild rosebush, neglected / by the gate, / blooms.” Lovers who don’t return, the possibility that you yourself might not return. Making beds. Cleaning up vomit. Reading recipes. In You Can Be the Last Leaf, these are the ordinary and profound—sometimes tragic, sometimes dreamy, sometimes almost frivolous—moments of life under Israeli occupation.
Here, private and public domains are inseparable. Desire, loss, and violence permeate the walls of the home, the borders of the mind. And yet that mind is full of its own fierce and funny voice, its own preoccupations and strangenesses. “It matters to me,” writes Abu Al-Hayyat, “what you’re thinking now / as you coerce your kids to sleep / in the middle of shelling”: whether it’s coming up with “plans / to solve the world’s problems,” plans that “eliminate longing from stories, remove exhaustion from groans,” or dreaming “of a war / that’s got no war in it,” or proclaiming that “I don’t believe in survival.”
In You Can Be the Last Leaf, Abu Al-Hayyat has created a richly textured portrait of Palestinian interiority—at once wry and romantic, worried and tenacious, and always singing itself.