Adonis (poet) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adonis أدونيس
Adonis on 12 May 2011
Born	Ali Ahmad Said Esber (1930-01-01) 1 January 1930 (age 95) Al Qassabin, Latakia, Alawite State (Part of Mandatory Syria)
Pen name	Adonis
Occupation	Poet, writer, literary critic, editor
Language	Arabic
Nationality	Syrian
Period	Contemporary
Genres	Essay, poem
Literary movement	Modernism, avant-garde, surrealism
Notable works	The Songs of Mihyar the Damascene, The Static and the Dynamic
Notable awards	Bjørnson Prize 2007 Goethe Prize 2011

Ali Ahmad Said Esber (Arabic: علي أحمد سعيد إسبر; born 1 January 1930) is a famous Syrian poet, writer, and translator. He is better known by his pen name, Adonis or Adunis (أدونيس). Many people say he changed Arabic poetry in the 20th century, much like T.S. Eliot did for English poetry.

Adonis has written over twenty books of poetry and thirteen books of criticism. He has also translated many books into Arabic. These include poems by Saint-John Perse and Yves Bonnefoy. He also translated Ovid's "Metamorphoses" completely into Arabic in 2002. His huge collection of Arabic poetry, called "Dīwān ash-shi'r al-'arabī", has been printed since 1964. It covers almost two thousand years of poems!

Adonis is often considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Many people call him the greatest living poet in the Arab world.

Biography

Early Life and School

Adonis was born in January 1930. His family were farmers in the village of al-Qassabin in western Syria. He couldn't go to a regular school for most of his childhood. Instead, he learned the Quran at a local mosque school called a kuttab. His father also taught him many old Arabic poems.

In 1944, when he was young, Adonis recited one of his poems. He performed it for Shukri al-Quwatli, who was the president of Syria. The president was visiting Adonis's village. The president liked the poem and asked Adonis what he wanted. Adonis said, "I want to go to school!" Soon after, he received a scholarship to a French school. He later moved to other schools and finished high school in 1949.

Adonis was a good student and earned a government scholarship. In 1950, he published his first book of poems, Dalila. He then went to the Syrian University (now Damascus University). He studied law and philosophy and graduated in 1954. Later, in 1973, he earned a higher degree in Arabic literature.

In 1955–56, Adonis was in the military. During this time, he was put in prison. This was because he was part of a political group called the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. This group wanted to unite Syria and create a fair society for everyone.

His Name

Adonis chose his pen name, "Adonis," when he was 17 years old. He had sent his poems to magazines, but they were rejected under his real name. He picked "Adonis" to get attention and show his talent. The name comes from an ancient god.

His Family Life

In 1956, Adonis married Khalida Said, who is also a writer. She helped him edit two important magazines, Shiʿr and Mawaqif. They have two daughters, Arwad and Ninar. Arwad works in cultural arts, and Ninar is an artist. Since 1975, Adonis has lived in Paris, France.

Adonis believes that people should be free to choose their own beliefs. He has said that religion and poetry are different. He thinks religion gives answers, but poetry always asks questions.

Life in Beirut and Paris

In 1956, Adonis moved from Syria to Beirut, Lebanon. He joined a lively group of artists and writers there. In 1957, he helped start a magazine called Majallat Shiʿr (which means "Poetry Magazine"). This magazine was very important for Arab literature. It published new and experimental poems.

Adonis also started another literary magazine in 1968 called Mawāqif. In this magazine, he continued to publish new kinds of poetry. He also wrote about his strong feelings for Arab identity and his spiritual ideas. He used ideas from Sufism, which is a mystical part of Islam, in his poems.

Adonis received a scholarship to study in Paris from 1960–61. From 1970 to 1985, he was a professor of Arabic literature at the Lebanese University. He also taught at other universities, including the University of Damascus, Sorbonne in Paris, and even at Georgetown and Princeton universities in the United States. In 1980, he moved to Paris to get away from the Lebanese Civil War. Paris has been his main home since 1985.

Editorship

Majallat Shiʿr

Adonis worked with the poet Yusuf al-Khal to edit Majallat Shiʿr ("Poetry Magazine"). This magazine was started in 1957 and focused on modern Arabic poetry. Adonis became a main editor from the fourth issue. He played a big role in developing "free verse" in Arabic poetry. Free verse means poetry that doesn't follow strict rhyming or rhythm rules.

Adonis and the magazine believed that poetry should be a place for new ideas and language. They did not want poets to only write political messages. They thought poetry should be free to explore and question things. Shiʿr was published for ten years and was very important. It helped many new poets become known.

Mawaqif

Later, Adonis started another poetry magazine called Mawaqif (meaning "Positions"). It was first published in 1968. This magazine was a significant cultural and literary quarterly. Adonis wanted Mawaqif to look at bigger issues than Shiʿr. He wanted it to address the problems facing Arab nations after the 1967 Six-Day War. He believed that literature should be part of a bigger movement to improve society.

Many famous writers joined and wrote for Mawaqif. These included Elias Khoury, Hisham Sharabi, and the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. The magazine faced challenges like censorship and money problems. But it kept publishing until 1994 because of its bold and independent ideas.

Al-Akhar

Adonis also founded and edited Al-Akhar (meaning "The Other"). This magazine published new writings and translations of essays about philosophy and Arab identity. It explored the connection between political and religious ideas. The magazine was concerned about things that stopped progress and freedom in the Arab world. It was published in Beirut from 2011 to 2013.

Poetry

"The Songs of Mihyar of Damascus"

Published in 1961, this was Adonis's third book of poetry. It changed how Arabic poetry was written. The book has 141 short poems in seven sections. It takes an old story from the 11th century and brings it to modern Damascus. The poems use new language and ideas. This collection is said to have "reshaped the possibilities of Arabic lyric poetry."

Some poems in this collection include:

• "Psalm"
• "Not a Star"
• "King Mihyar"
• "An Invitation to Death"
• "New Covenant"

"A Time Between Ashes and Roses"

In 1970, Adonis published "A Time Between Ashes and Roses." This book had two long poems. In 1972, he added another poem, 'A Grave For New York'. These poems were written after the difficult 1967 Six-Day War. They showed a new way for modern poetry to express feelings about society and culture. The whole book has been translated into English.

"This Is My Name" (book)

This poem was written in 1969 and first published in 1970. It was later included in the "A Time Between Ashes and Roses" collection. Adonis wrote it after the Arab world was shocked by the Six-Day War. The poem describes a feeling of being trapped and confused.

Adonis wanted to challenge the way people thought about the war. He tried to find a language that matched the sadness and confusion. This poem was studied a lot in the Arab literary world. It had a big impact on poetry in the 1960s and 70s.

"A Grave for New York" (poem)

This poem was written in 1971 after Adonis visited New York. It describes New York City as a symbol of power and problems. The poem is critical of some aspects of American society. It even talks to the famous American poet Walt Whitman.

Adonis wrote this poem in the spring of 1971. Unlike some of his other poems, this one names many historical figures and places. It compares poets to politicians and good people to those who take advantage of others. The poem has 10 sections, each criticizing New York City in a different way. It starts by describing the city as beast-like and makes fun of the Statue of Liberty.

"A Grave for New York" shows Adonis's goal to change how people see Eastern and Western cultures. He wanted to highlight positive "Eastern" values.

"Al-Kitab" (book)

Al-Kitab means "the book" in Arabic. Adonis worked on this huge, three-volume book from 1995 to 2003. It is almost two thousand pages long! In Al-Kitab, the poet travels through the history and politics of Arab societies. It starts after the death of Muhammad and goes through the ninth century. Adonis thinks this was a very important time in Arab history.

Al-Kitab is like a huge poem that shows the complex history, culture, and religions of Arab civilization over 15 centuries. The book has been translated into French.

"Adonis: Selected Poems" (book)

This collection was translated from Arabic by Khaled Mattawa. It gives a good overview of Adonis's work. It includes many poems that are between five and fifteen pages long.

Adonis: Selected Poems includes poems from these collections:

• "First Poems (1957)"
• "Songs of Mihyar of Damascus (1961)"
• "Migrations and Transformations in the Regions of Night and Day (1965)"
• "A Time Between Ashes and Roses (1971)"
• "The Book of Siege (1985)"
• "Another Alphabet (1994)"

In 2011, this translation was a finalist for the Griffin Poetry Prize. In the same year, it won the Saif Ghobash-Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. The judges said it was "destined to become a classic."

Artwork

Adonis started creating art around 2002. He uses calligraphy (beautiful writing), colors, and figures in his drawings. In 2012, there was a big event in London to honor Adonis. It included an exhibition of his drawings and many literary events.

On May 19, 2014, the Salwa Zeidan Gallery in Abu Dhabi held another important exhibition by Adonis. It was called Muallaqat. It featured 10 large calligraphy drawings.

Other Art Exhibitions

• 2000: Berlin – Institute for Advanced Studies
• 2000: Paris – L`Institut du Monde Arabe
• 2003: Paris – Area Gallery
• 2007: Amman -Shuman`s Gallery (with Haydar)
• 2008: Damascus – Atassy Gallery (with Fateh Mudarress, Etel Adnan, Samir Sayegh)
• 2008: Paris – Le Louvre des Antiquaires : Calligraphies d`Orient.
• 2020: Berlin – Galerie Pankow: Adonis "Vom Wort zum Bild"

Nobel Prize Nomination

Adonis is often considered a strong candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He has been nominated regularly since 1988. After winning Germany's important Goethe Prize in 2011, many thought he would win the Nobel Prize. However, the prize went to the Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer that year. The head of the Swedish Academy said the prize is not about politics.

Adonis has actually helped make Tomas Tranströmer famous in the Arab world. They have even done poetry readings together.

Legacy and Influence

Dayâ as wall poem in Leiden

Adonis's poetry and writings have had a huge impact on Arabic poetry. He helped create "a new poetic language and rhythms." These new styles were based on old classical poetry but used to talk about modern Arab society. According to Mirene Ghossein, one of Adonis's main gifts to Arabic poetry is "liberty"—freedom with themes and words.

Adonis is seen as having a similar impact on Arab modernism as T. S. Eliot had on English poetry. Edward Said, a professor, called him "today's most daring and provocative Arab poet." The poet Samuel John Hazo said, "There is Arabic poetry before Adonis, and there is Arabic poetry after Adonis." This shows how much he changed things.

In 2007, Arabian Business named Adonis as one of the 100 most powerful Arabs. They said he has had a strong influence on poets of his time and younger generations. His name is linked to the "Hadatha" (modernism) movement in Arabic poetry. His critical works are important in the history of literary criticism in the Arab world.

In 2017, the judges for the PEN/Nabokov Award praised Adonis. They said his strong language, bold new ideas, and deep feelings have made Arabic poetry "vibrant and urgent." They called him a "visionary" who respects the past. He writes beautifully about identity, memory, and being away from home. His work as a critic and translator helps connect different cultures. They said his work reminds us that modern Arabic poetry is a key part of literature in the 21st century.

Awards and Honours

• 1968 Prix des Amis du Livre, Beirut
• 1971 Syria-Lebanon Award of the International Poetry Forum.
• 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.
• 1986 Grand Prix des Biennales Internationales de la Poesie de Liège (Highest Award of the International Poem Biennial), Brussels.
• 1990 Member of Académie Universelle des Cultures, Paris.
• 1991 Prix Jean-Marlieu-Etranger, Marseille.
• 1993 Feronia-Cita di Fiamo Priwe, Rome.
• 1995 International Nazim Hikmet Poetry Award – The first winner
• 1995 Prix Méditerranée-Etranger, Paris.
• 1995 Prize of Lebanese Cultural Forum in France.
• 1997 Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry Evenings
• 1997 Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France
• 1999 Nonino Poetry Award, Italy
• 2001 Goethe Medal
• 2002–2003 Al Owais Award for Cultural & Scientific Achievements, co winner
• 2003 America Award in Literature
• 2006 Medal of the Italian Cabinet. Awarded by the International Scientific Committee of the Manzù Centre.
• 2006 Prize of "Pio Manzù – Centro Internazionale Ricerche."
• 2007 Bjørnson Prize
• 2011 Goethe Prize
• 2013 Golden Tibetan Antelope International Prize. co winner
• 2013 Petrarca-Preis
• 2014 Janus Pannonius International Poetry Prize (co-winner)
• 2015 Asan Viswa Puraskaram- Kumaranasan World Prize for Poetry
• 2015 Erich-Maria-Remarque-Friedenspreis [de]
• 2016 Stig Dagerman Prize
• 2017 PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature
• 2022 Izmir International Homer Award

See also

In Spanish: Adonis (poeta) para niños