Contents
Nizar Qabbani
Writing widely loved Arabic poetry about love, freedom and political failure.
The Brunette Said to Me · Notes on the Margin of the Defeat
- Born
- 21 March 1923
- Birthplace
- Damascus, Syria
- Died
- 30 April 1998
More people
Nizar Qabbani
Nizar Qabbani was a Syrian poet whose direct, musical language reached readers and listeners across the Arab world.
Early life
Damascus
Grew up in the city’s old quarter.
Law
Graduated from the Syrian University in 1945.
Career
- 1944
First collection
Published his poetry while studying law.
- 1945–1966
Diplomacy
Worked in Syria’s diplomatic service.
- After 1966
Full-time writing
Established a publishing house and continued poetry abroad.
Selected work
The Brunette Said to Me
Published his first collection.
Notes on the Margin of the Defeat
Responded critically to the Arab defeat in the Six-Day War.
Balqis
Mourned his wife after she was killed in a Beirut bombing.
Beyond work
Songs
His poems were performed by prominent Arab singers.
Exile
Spent his later years in London and was buried in Damascus.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗National library authority record ↗Library of Congress recording and biography ↗Photo: See source. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
