Mahmoud Darwish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mahmoud Darwish
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Darwish at Bethlehem University (2006)
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| Native name |
مَحمُود دَرْوِيْش
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| Born | 13 March 1941 Al-Birwa, Mandatory Palestine |
| Died | 9 August 2008 (aged 67) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet and writer |
| Period | 1964–2008 |
| Genre | Poetry |
Mahmoud Darwish (Arabic: مَحمُود دَرْوِيْش, romanized: Mahmûd Dervîş, 13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008) was a famous Palestinian poet and writer. Many people considered him Palestine's national poet. He won many awards for his works. Darwish often used Palestine in his poems to talk about feelings of loss, new beginnings, and being far from home. He was known as a poet whose words were powerful actions. He also worked as an editor for several literary magazines.
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About Mahmoud Darwish
Mahmoud Darwish was born in 1941 in al-Birwa, a village in Galilee. He was the second child of Salim and Houreyyah Darwish. His family owned land. His mother could not read, but his grandfather taught him.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, his village was taken by Israeli forces. His family had to leave their home and went to Lebanon. Their village was later destroyed. A year later, Darwish's family returned to the Acre area, which was then part of Israel. They settled in Deir al-Asad.
Darwish went to high school in Kafr Yasif. He later moved to Haifa.
His Early Writing Career
He published his first book of poetry, Asafir bila ajniha (Wingless Birds), when he was 19. He first shared his poems in Al Jadid, a literary magazine. He later became its editor. He also worked as an assistant editor for Al Fajr.
In 1970, Darwish left Israel to study in the Soviet Union (USSR). He studied at Lomonosov Moscow State University for one year. After that, he moved to Egypt and then Lebanon. In 1973, he joined the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization). Because of this, he was not allowed to return to Israel for many years.
In 1995, he was allowed to visit Israel for four days for a funeral. That same year, Darwish was allowed to live in Ramallah. However, he felt like he was still in exile there.
Darwish had heart problems throughout his life. He had heart attacks and two heart operations. His last visit to Israel was in 2007 for a poetry reading in Haifa.
His Literary Works
Throughout his life, Darwish wrote more than 30 books of poetry and eight books of prose. He edited several magazines, including Al-Jadid and Al-Karmel. He also wrote for Lotus, a literary magazine.
When he was 17, Darwish wrote poems about the suffering of refugees. He spoke about their hope to return home. In 1965, he read his poem "Bitaqat huwiyya" ("Identity Card") in Nazareth. The crowd loved it. The poem quickly became famous across the country and the Arab world. It included the powerful line: "Write down: I am an Arab."
Darwish's work has won many awards and has been translated into 20 languages. A main idea in his poetry is watan, which means homeland. The poet Naomi Shihab Nye said Darwish was "the essential breath of the Palestinian people." He received the "Cultural Freedom Prize" from the Lannan Foundation in the United States. This award honors people who bravely use their imagination and words.
His Writing Style
Darwish's early poems followed the traditional style of Arabic poetry. In the 1970s, he started to use a "free-verse" style. This meant his poems did not always follow strict rules. His language became more personal. He moved from direct political statements to more indirect ways of expressing his thoughts.
Who Influenced Him
Darwish was inspired by Iraqi poets like Abd al-Wahhab Al-Bayati. He also admired Arthur Rimbaud and Allen Ginsberg. Darwish respected the Hebrew poet Yehuda Amichai. He saw Amichai's poetry as a challenge because they both wrote about the same land. Darwish wondered who truly owned the language of that land and who loved it more.
His Views on Israel
Many people saw Darwish as a symbol for Palestinians and a voice for Arab views on Israel. He denied being against Jewish people. He said, "The accusation is that I hate Jews. It's not comfortable that they show me as a devil and an enemy of Israel. I am not a lover of Israel, of course. I have no reason to be. But I don't hate Jews." Darwish wrote in Arabic and also spoke English, French, and Hebrew.
In 2000, an Israeli education minister suggested teaching two of Darwish's poems in high schools. The Prime Minister at the time said it was not the right time. After Darwish's death in 2008, the idea of including his poetry in Israeli schools was discussed again.
Darwish called Hebrew a "language of love." He believed he was part of the Jewish history in Palestine. He hoped for peace between Palestinians and Jewish people. He thought that one day, both groups would not be ashamed to find parts of each other's cultures within themselves.
Political Involvement
Darwish was a member of the Israeli Communist Party before joining the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In 1970, he went to Moscow. Later, he moved to Cairo in 1971 and worked for a newspaper. In Beirut in 1973, he edited a monthly magazine and joined the PLO.
Darwish was elected to the PLO Executive Committee in 1987. In 1988, he wrote a statement that was meant to be the Palestinian people's declaration of independence. In 1993, after the Oslo accords (peace agreements), Darwish resigned from the PLO Executive Committee.
Views on Peace
Darwish always asked for fair and strong talks with Israel. Despite his criticisms of both Israel and Palestinian leaders, Darwish believed peace was possible. He told an Israeli newspaper, "I do not despair. I am patient and am waiting for a deep change in the minds of Israelis. The Arabs are ready to accept a strong Israel... all it has to do is open its gates and make peace."
Criticism of Hamas
In 2005, outdoor music and dance shows were banned in Qalqiliya by the Hamas-led city government. They said such events were against Islam. Darwish warned that "There are Taliban-type elements in our society, and this is a very dangerous sign."
In 2007, Darwish returned to Ramallah and visited Haifa. He spoke to about 2,000 people. He criticized the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip. He said, "We woke up from a coma to see a one-colored flag (of Hamas) do away with the four-color flag (of Palestine)."
Darwish's Poems in Music and Film
Many of Darwish's poems were turned into songs by Arab composers. Some of these songs became very popular. Famous ones include "Rita and the Rifle" and "I Yearn for my Mother's Bread." These songs became like anthems for generations of Arabs.
The composer Marcel Khalife was accused of insulting religious values. This was because of his song "I am Yusuf, oh my father," which used Darwish's lyrics. The poem tells the story of Joseph, who was not loved by his brothers. Darwish used this story to talk about how Palestinians felt rejected.
Many artists have used Darwish's words in their music. In 2008, Mohammed Fairouz set parts of Darwish's State of Siege to music. In 2012, his symphony Poems and Prayers included Darwish's words.
In 2011, Syrian composer Hassan Taha created a musical play called "The Dice Player." It was based on Darwish's poems. In 2015, the Norwegian singer-songwriter Moddi also created a song from Darwish's poem "I am Yusuf, oh my father."
Darwish in Films
In 1997, a documentary about Mahmoud Darwish was made for French TV. Darwish also appeared as himself in the film Notre Musique (2004).
In 2008, Darwish starred in a film called id – Identity of the Soul. In this film, he read his poem "A Soldier Dreams of White Lilies." This was his last performance. The film was shown in Palestine in October 2008 to thousands of people.
In 2016, his poem "We Were Without a Present" was used for a song in the film "Junction 48." One of his poems was also read during a speech at the Ophir Awards. In 2017, his poem "Think of Others" was set to music by a South African artist and a young Palestinian activist.
Awards
- Lotus Prize for Literature (1969)
- Lenin Peace Prize (1983)
- The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (1993; from France)
- The Lannan Foundation Prize for Cultural Freedom (2001)
- Al Owais Award (2002–2003)
- Prince Claus Awards (2004)
- "Bosnian stećak" (2007)
- Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry Evenings (2007)
- The International Forum for Arabic Poetry prize (2007)
- The Argana International Poetry Prize (2008; from Morocco)
Death and Legacy
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Mahmoud Darwish passed away on August 9, 2008, at age 67. He died three days after heart surgery in Houston, Texas. Before his surgery, Darwish had signed a paper saying he did not want to be brought back to life if his brain stopped working.
Early reports said Darwish wanted to be buried in Palestine. Three places were suggested: his home village, a nearby village where some family lived, or Ramallah. The Mayor of Ramallah announced that Darwish would be buried next to Ramallah's Palace of Culture. This spot is on a hill overlooking Jerusalem. A memorial would be built there. His family said he belonged to all Palestinians and should be buried where everyone could visit him.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced three days of mourning for Darwish. He was given a state funeral. His body was flown from Amman, Jordan, to Ramallah for the burial. Thousands of people attended the ceremony. Many important figures, including former French prime minister Dominique de Villepin, were there. After the ceremony, Darwish's coffin was carried in a procession to the Palace of Culture.
In October 2008, the International Literature Festival Berlin held a worldwide reading in memory of Mahmoud Darwish.
His Legacy
The Mahmoud Darwish Foundation was started on October 4, 2008. This foundation works to protect Darwish's cultural and literary legacy. It also gives out the "Mahmoud Darwish Award for Creativity" each year. The first winner of this award in 2010 was the Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif.
Published Works
Poetry Books
- Wingless Birds (1960)
- Leaves of Olives (1964)
- Identity Card (1964)
- A Lover from Palestine (1966)
- The End of the Night (1967)
- Diary of a Palestinian Wound (1969)
- My Beloved Awakens (1969)
- Writing in the Light of the Gun (1970)
- Birds are Dying in Galilee (1970)
- Light Rain in a Distant Autumn (1971)
- I Love You, I Love You Not (1972)
- A Soldier Dreaming of White Lilies (1973)
- Attempt Number 7 (1974)
- Ahmad al-Za'tar (1976)
- Weddings (1977)
- The Bodily Anthem (1980)
- Ode to Beirut (1982)
- A Eulogy for the Tall Shadow (1983)
- A Siege for the Sea Eulogies (1984)
- Fewer Roses (1985)
- It's a Song, It's a Song (1985)
- Tragedy of Daffodils, Comedy of Silver (1989)
- I See What I Want (1990)
- Eleven Planets (1992)
- Why Did You Leave the Horse Alone? (1995)
- Bed of a Stranger (1998)
- Mural (2000)
- State of Siege (2002)
- Don't Apologize for What You Did (2004)
- Almond Blossoms and Beyond (2005)
- The Butterfly's Burden (2007)
Prose Books
- Something About the Homeland (1971)
- Diary of a Citizen Without a Country (1971)
- Farewell, War, Farewell, Peace (1974)
- Diary of the Usual Sadness (1973)
- Memory for Forgetfulness (1987)
- Describing Our Condition (1987)
- The Letters (1990) (with Samih al-Qasim)
- Bypassers in Bypassing Words (1991)
- In the Presence of Absence (2006)
- A River Dies of Thirst: Journals (2009)
See also
In Spanish: Mahmud Darwish para niños
