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Calico Series #1
Home
Nine contemporary Arabic-language poets from eight different countries explore the intimate world of everyday life
Evoking the sights, sounds, and tastes of contemporary life, the poets in Home explore the intimate world of everyday life, its agonies and delights. A glass shatters in a neighbor’s sink followed by the stomping of “little feet”; a woman falls asleep on the shoulder of a man she doesn’t know on an airplane; and a man passes his time smoking alone a café, observing the charge of activity all around him. The worlds these poets traverse are not devoid of politics, wars, and global migrations, and yet by taking the minutiae of everyday life as their subject they remind us of the need to periodically turn inward and find meaning in the specific and deeply personal.
Featuring work by Iman Mersal (Egypt), Samer Abu Hawwash (Palestine), Ines Abassi (Tunisia), Fadhil al-Azzawi (Iraq) and others, this second book in the Calico Series introduces readers to contemporary voices from across the Arabic-speaking world that are sorely underrepresented in the United States. Beautifully rendered into English by some of today’s leading Arabic translators, these poems are presented alongside their Arabic originals in a bilingual collection that celebrates language and its power to transform even the most familiar surroundings into enchanting landscapes for us to inhabit, if just for a moment.
Evoking the sights, sounds, and tastes of contemporary life, the poets in Home explore the intimate world of everyday life, its agonies and delights. A glass shatters in a neighbor’s sink followed by the stomping of “little feet”; a woman falls asleep on the shoulder of a man she doesn’t know on an airplane; and a man passes his time smoking alone a café, observing the charge of activity all around him. The worlds these poets traverse are not devoid of politics, wars, and global migrations, and yet by taking the minutiae of everyday life as their subject they remind us of the need to periodically turn inward and find meaning in the specific and deeply personal.
Featuring work by Iman Mersal (Egypt), Samer Abu Hawwash (Palestine), Ines Abassi (Tunisia), Fadhil al-Azzawi (Iraq) and others, this second book in the Calico Series introduces readers to contemporary voices from across the Arabic-speaking world that are sorely underrepresented in the United States. Beautifully rendered into English by some of today’s leading Arabic translators, these poems are presented alongside their Arabic originals in a bilingual collection that celebrates language and its power to transform even the most familiar surroundings into enchanting landscapes for us to inhabit, if just for a moment.
- GenresPoetryAnthologies
153 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2020
1 person is currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Samer Abu Hawwash
8 booksSamer Abu Hawwash is a Palestinian writer and translator. He was born in Lebanon to a Palestinian refugee family. He has published around ten volumes of poetry, starting with his debut collection Life is Printed in New York. He is also a prolific translator of English-language fiction and non-fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 1, 2020
"...I want my room to expand
to contain all my many books
or for a fit of madness to strike me
so I will burn them..."
-Saadiah Mufarreh, translated by Allison Blecker
While not all the poets in this collection are female, a considerable number of both poets and translators are, so I wanted to read it during Women in Translation Month. A wide range of poets in country of origin, all are shown in English on one page and Arabic on the other. All newly translated and published by Two Lines Press as part of their Calico Series.
I got this a little bit early because I subscribe to this press; it comes out September 8.
to contain all my many books
or for a fit of madness to strike me
so I will burn them..."
-Saadiah Mufarreh, translated by Allison Blecker
While not all the poets in this collection are female, a considerable number of both poets and translators are, so I wanted to read it during Women in Translation Month. A wide range of poets in country of origin, all are shown in English on one page and Arabic on the other. All newly translated and published by Two Lines Press as part of their Calico Series.
I got this a little bit early because I subscribe to this press; it comes out September 8.
August 21, 2020
I really love what Two Lines is doing with their new Calico series. This wonderful poetry collection drawn from sources all over the Arabic speaking world is a revelation. Thought-provoking and absolutely gorgeous.
I also love that they show the original language text on each facing page, with the translated work on the other side. I'm awestruck by what translators can do.
I also love that they show the original language text on each facing page, with the translated work on the other side. I'm awestruck by what translators can do.
January 26, 2024
After reading Black Wave by Kim Ghattas I was inspired to read some Arabic poetry. I really enjoyed this collection and see myself revisiting some of my favorites regularly.
Favorite lines:
“glances incapable
of becoming faces,
hands short
of becoming touch.”
“Lately, I’ve come to doubt that evil is at all”
“Here even the dead can be in pain
Even the dead can become perfect dancers”
Favorite lines:
“glances incapable
of becoming faces,
hands short
of becoming touch.”
“Lately, I’ve come to doubt that evil is at all”
“Here even the dead can be in pain
Even the dead can become perfect dancers”
August 24, 2020
A stunning and diverse collection of Arabic poetry - all of the contributors have wonderfully talented and unique voices. Beautiful.
November 19, 2021
Refreshing, sad, beautiful, etc. Loved.
December 10, 2024
I kept reading and imagining I was in children of men but also I might just be so sleepy
August 30, 2022
Day 25 of The Sealey Challenge
Anthology or new Arabic poetry translated by a variety of translators.
Poets from Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. A handful of poems from each poet - small bites.
Anthology or new Arabic poetry translated by a variety of translators.
Poets from Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. A handful of poems from each poet - small bites.
December 18, 2020
"6
I want another earth
I can conceal in my chest
whenever I want to leave the house
without an abaya.
7
I want a tree that sings,
a sparrow that makes a truce with the wind,
a sea that writes its memoirs each dawn,
and a passport that is accepted at all airports."
Saadiah Mufarreh translated by Allison Blecker
•
Home is a bilingual poetry collection by Two Lines Press from their calico series. Each section of the collection is dedicated to one poet from the Arab World. It is like little snippets into the poet's unique style and voice. It speaks of the diversity and talent of contemporary Arab poets and the brilliant translators who took on the task to translate these poems into English.
•
Perhaps it is because I can read and understand both languages, but reading them side by side I felt as if each word resonated in my head like a siren's song leading me from a page to another into unknown territories I was more than happy to explore.
•
If you enjoy poetry or just want to delve into this written medium, I wholeheartedly recommend this collection.
•
~ #fridayinaprilbookreviews
I want another earth
I can conceal in my chest
whenever I want to leave the house
without an abaya.
7
I want a tree that sings,
a sparrow that makes a truce with the wind,
a sea that writes its memoirs each dawn,
and a passport that is accepted at all airports."
Saadiah Mufarreh translated by Allison Blecker
•
Home is a bilingual poetry collection by Two Lines Press from their calico series. Each section of the collection is dedicated to one poet from the Arab World. It is like little snippets into the poet's unique style and voice. It speaks of the diversity and talent of contemporary Arab poets and the brilliant translators who took on the task to translate these poems into English.
•
Perhaps it is because I can read and understand both languages, but reading them side by side I felt as if each word resonated in my head like a siren's song leading me from a page to another into unknown territories I was more than happy to explore.
•
If you enjoy poetry or just want to delve into this written medium, I wholeheartedly recommend this collection.
•
~ #fridayinaprilbookreviews
January 2, 2021
This volume has poems in Arabic and their English translations on facing pages. Which is interesting, because even single-word and short lines with the same word don't match in the Arabic, which obviously means some thing about tense and structure and word order.
Some of these are excellent, as in any anthology. My favorite was by Saadiah Murfarreh (Kuwait). Other standouts for me were Flying by Iman Mersal (Egypt) and The Key by Ines Abassi (Tunisia).
Many (but not all) of these poems have a consistent theme of war--whether it be fear, uncertainty, prison camps, loss (of life or land).
Some of these are excellent, as in any anthology. My favorite was by Saadiah Murfarreh (Kuwait). Other standouts for me were Flying by Iman Mersal (Egypt) and The Key by Ines Abassi (Tunisia).
Many (but not all) of these poems have a consistent theme of war--whether it be fear, uncertainty, prison camps, loss (of life or land).
March 1, 2021
"When the mechanic in blue
stares up at the sky,
for a minute, he thinks himself God.
He too has clean thoughts
and soiled hands."
I mean COME ON. Brilliant. I went with that excerpt just because Mohamad Nassereddine is my favorite, but every single poet featured in this collection has a beautiful way of looking at the world.
stares up at the sky,
for a minute, he thinks himself God.
He too has clean thoughts
and soiled hands."
I mean COME ON. Brilliant. I went with that excerpt just because Mohamad Nassereddine is my favorite, but every single poet featured in this collection has a beautiful way of looking at the world.
January 2, 2022
"A flash
you won't bother to explain this time
using ordinary words:
glances incapable
of becoming faces,
hands short
of becoming touch."
—One Last Selfie with a Dying World, Samer Abu Hawwash (tr. Rawad Wehbe), p21
you won't bother to explain this time
using ordinary words:
glances incapable
of becoming faces,
hands short
of becoming touch."
—One Last Selfie with a Dying World, Samer Abu Hawwash (tr. Rawad Wehbe), p21
July 9, 2020
A terrific collection of a swath of poetry new to the English-speaking world. I adore this 'Calico' line from Two Lines and look forward to many more discoveries like this one and THAT WE MAY LIVE.
September 5, 2020
beautifully designed little collection with some great poems
September 19, 2021
A marvelous feat in translation capturing the all too often silenced voices of contemporary Arabic poets from Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and elsewhere. Two Lines Press keeping the bar high 👏🏼
September 7, 2025
An excellent collection of contemporary Arabic poetry. I have yet to read an entry in the Calico series that is not fantastic.
May 29, 2020
Showcasing voices from all over the Arabic-speaking world, this collection was just gorgeous. The translated poems are presented alongside with their original Arabic, & the translations were really beautifully done. Anyway, this comes out September 8, 2020 & I can’t wait to grab a hard copy for myself.
Each of these poems were really striking & just felt so familiar. The collection is an extremely short read, & really lifts up voices that we don’t see a lot of in the US. I think it’s a great way to dip your toe into Arabic poetry, from so many different countries.
Thank you to Two Lines Press and Edelweiss for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for my honest review.
Each of these poems were really striking & just felt so familiar. The collection is an extremely short read, & really lifts up voices that we don’t see a lot of in the US. I think it’s a great way to dip your toe into Arabic poetry, from so many different countries.
Thank you to Two Lines Press and Edelweiss for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews