Unfortunately, It Was Paradise: Selected Poems

Mahmoud Darwish is a literary rarity: at once critically acclaimed as one of the most important poets in the Arabic language, and beloved as the voice of his people. His lyrics are sung by fieldworkers and schoolchildren. He has assimilated some of the world’s oldest literary traditions at the same time that he has struggled to open new possibilities for poetry. This collection spans Darwish’s entire career, nearly four decades, revealing a wide range of expression and form.