Michael Karam
on translating Nizar Qabbani
I chose to translate a Qabbani poem because of how much his name and works remind me of my early schooling in Lebanon. While he is not as famous in America, I hope this is a step towards a growing fascinated audience. Even if you’ve never stood on a train platform, this image of fleeting love is a familiar one. There were some key decisions I had to make in this translation process. I wanted to remain true to the original’s punctuation and shape on the page even at the risk of its flow, in English. I did translate Chinese fan (from the literal Arabic) to cheap fan, because the former doesn’t enlist the same enthymematic suggestion for the English-language reader as it does for the reader of Arabic.
about the author
Nizar Qabbani (نزار توفيق قباني, 1923–1998) is a timeless Arab poet known for his sensual and romantic verse. Beyond his two dozen volumes of poetry and contributions to the Lebanese newspaper Al Hayat, his poetry is often sung by Lebanese and Syrian vocalists who have popularized his work. Young and old people in Lebanon (where he lived for years) and in Syria (his home country) love these familiar tunes. Qabbani writes of romantic and political despair; his poetry advocates for Arab nationalism and social freedoms for women.
about the translator
Michael Karam is a senior in the College at the University of Pennsylvania studying economics and international relations with a math minor. He is passionate about languages and bringing communities together. Michael loved memorizing and reciting Qabbani’s poetry when he was in elementary school in Lebanon. Poetry by Qabbani is also a reminder that the people suffering from the war in Syria are humans who have the right to live and love too.
