Desert Tracings: Six Classic Arabian Odes by 'alqama, Shánfara, Labíd, 'antara, Al-A'Sha, and Dhu Al-Rúmma

by Michael A. Sells

Book Overview

A skillful translation of six classical odes of pre-Islamic Arabia.According to legend, the Bedouin tribes of pre-Islamic Arabia held poetry competitions during annual fairs near Mecca. The wining... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0819521574
• ISBN13: 9780819521576
• Release Date: June 1989
• Publisher: Wesleyan
• Length: 87 Pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent translation and editing of Arabic poetry

A lovely book if you want to have some understanding of the context of Classical Arabic of the Koran. Without Sells' notes, some of the trapping of pre-Islamic culture would be lost on the reader, the poems would be opaque. I highly recommend the book, the poems, and Prof. Sells' notes.

Evocative

Beautiful, the most lyric translation of the odes I have encountered