Bibliography: Theocritus: The Idylls, translated with an introduction and notes by Robert Wells (Penguin, 1988). Comment: My original plan for this series excluded any poetry in Latin or Greek, on the grounds that such works are so much more likely to be familiar to readers of Jacket2. I make an exception today only because I have the sense that whenever one finally locates an effective translation of a {famous piece that had always seemed hopeless}, one has a strong duty to report the fact. For example, Wang Wei had always seemed to me the Great Tang Poet Whom I Don't Get,—until I found the 1991 translation by Tony Barnstone and Xu Haixin. Having thoroughly enjoyed and digested Wang Wei for the first time, I spent the next few months running from place to place saying "Barnstone and Xu! Barnstone and Xu!"
Bibliography: Theocritus: The Idylls, translated with an introduction and notes by Robert Wells (Penguin, 1988).
PEN International has condemned the murder of Mohammad Bashir al-Aani and his son Elyas in Deir al-Zour City “by the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS)”: “Al-Aani's death was reported last Thursday. The poet was reportedly kidnapped last fall.” From the PEN release: “According to media reports, Al-Aani and his son were originally held in an undisclosed locations with 100 others after they attempted to leave an area of the city that was besieged by IS forces. Reports emerged in recent days that both al-Aani and his son were killed after IS accused them of ‘apostasy.’ Al-Aani,” the PEN statement continues, “was known for his opposition to the Bashar al-Assad government. According to family members, the poet and his son had returned to the area to bury his wife.”
PEN International has condemned the murder of Mohammad Bashir al-Aani and his son Elyas in Deir al-Zour City "by the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS)":
I still hold a Luxembourg passport, and will keep holding it for ever — even though my US papers are in the works, or will be as soon as I'm home — that's Brooklyn now — for long enough for the paperwork to go out & come back. Some time last year the Luxembourg Centre National de Littérature wrote and asked me to contribute a little essay (1.500 signs) to the Bücher-Livres (i.e. Books) supplement of the left daily Tageblatt. The subject was phrased thus (my translation from French):
After 'Barbaric Vast & Wild': A symposium & poetry festival
CfP
Outside-in / Inside-out
A Symposium / Poetry Festival on Outside and Subterranean Poetry  
Twenty-six items from Special Collections (x)
Exhibit ‘X’: Ancient Greek. (Theocritus, 'Idyll #2,' third century BCE)
Bibliography: Theocritus: The Idylls, translated with an introduction and notes by Robert Wells (Penguin, 1988). Comment: My original plan for this series excluded any poetry in Latin or Greek, on the grounds that such works are so much more likely to be familiar to readers of Jacket2. I make an exception today only because I have the sense that whenever one finally locates an effective translation of a {famous piece that had always seemed hopeless}, one has a strong duty to report the fact. For example, Wang Wei had always seemed to me the Great Tang Poet Whom I Don't Get,—until I found the 1991 translation by Tony Barnstone and Xu Haixin. Having thoroughly enjoyed and digested Wang Wei for the first time, I spent the next few months running from place to place saying "Barnstone and Xu! Barnstone and Xu!"
Bibliography: Theocritus: The Idylls, translated with an introduction and notes by Robert Wells (Penguin, 1988).
The Murder of Syrian Poet Mohammad Bashir al-Aani
PEN International has condemned the murder of Mohammad Bashir al-Aani and his son Elyas in Deir al-Zour City “by the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS)”: “Al-Aani's death was reported last Thursday. The poet was reportedly kidnapped last fall.” From the PEN release: “According to media reports, Al-Aani and his son were originally held in an undisclosed locations with 100 others after they attempted to leave an area of the city that was besieged by IS forces. Reports emerged in recent days that both al-Aani and his son were killed after IS accused them of ‘apostasy.’ Al-Aani,” the PEN statement continues, “was known for his opposition to the Bashar al-Assad government. According to family members, the poet and his son had returned to the area to bury his wife.”
via Arab Literature (in English) & mlynxqualey:
PEN International has condemned the murder of Mohammad Bashir al-Aani and his son Elyas in Deir al-Zour City "by the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS)":
On Mahmoud Darwish’s birthday, a new translation of 'Dying for Free'
On the anniversary of the birth of the great Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, a new translation by Naser Albreeky:
'Dying for Free'
Mahmoud Darwish
Author as ambassador?
I still hold a Luxembourg passport, and will keep holding it for ever — even though my US papers are in the works, or will be as soon as I'm home — that's Brooklyn now — for long enough for the paperwork to go out & come back. Some time last year the Luxembourg Centre National de Littérature wrote and asked me to contribute a little essay (1.500 signs) to the Bücher-Livres (i.e. Books) supplement of the left daily Tageblatt. The subject was phrased thus (my translation from French):