Qasmuna facts for kids

Qasmūna bint Ismāʿil (Arabic: قسمونة بنت إسماعيل; fl. 11th or 12th century CE), sometimes called Xemone, was a Jewish poet from the Iberian Peninsula. She lived a long time ago, either in the 11th or 12th century. She is special because she is the only known female Jewish poet who wrote in Arabic from a place called Al-Andalus (which is now parts of Spain and Portugal). She is one of the very few Jewish women poets known from the entire Middle Ages.

About Qasmūna

We do not know much about Qasmūna's life. Two old writings tell us that her father was Jewish. They also say that he taught her how to write poems. One source calls her father Ismāʿil al-Yahudi. Another calls him Ismāʿil ibn Bagdāla al-Yahudi. This second source says Qasmūna lived in the 12th century.

Some people have thought that Qasmūna's father might have been a famous poet named Samuel ibn Naghrillah. If this were true, Qasmūna would have lived in the 11th century instead of the 12th. However, there is not strong proof for this idea.

Qasmūna's poems survived because two later writers included them in their collections. One writer was Al-Suyuti, who lived in the 15th century. He put her poems in his book of women's poetry. The other writer was Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari, who lived in the 17th century. He also included her poems in his collection. It seems they both found her poems in an even older collection of poems from Al-Andalus.

Her Poems

We know of three poems written by Qasmūna.

Poem 1: A Challenge from Her Father

One of Qasmūna's poems was part of a fun challenge with her father. Her father started a poem, and then Qasmūna finished it.

Her father began by saying: I have a friend whose [missing word] has repaid good with evil, considering lawful that which is forbidden to her.

Qasmūna then replied: Just like the sun, from which the moon derives its light always, yet afterward eclipses the sun's body.

The missing word in her father's line was probably a word for a woman.

Poem 2: Looking in the Mirror

This is Qasmūna's most famous poem. Many collections of poems include it. It is said that she wrote this poem after looking in a mirror. She saw that she was beautiful and was old enough to get married.

She then wrote this poem: I see an orchard Where the time has come For harvesting, But I do not see A gardener reaching out a hand Towards its fruits. Youth goes, vanishing; I wait alone For somebody I do not wish to name.

Poem 3: The Lonely Gazelle

The last of Qasmūna's known poems is about feeling lonely. She compares herself to a gazelle.

She wrote: Always grazing here in this garden-- I'm dark-eyed just like you, and lonely. We both live far from friends, forsaken -- patiently bearing our fate's decree.

See also

In Spanish: Quasmuna Bint Ismail para niños