Overview
Written while Adonis was on a scholarship in Paris from 1960 to 1961, Songs of Mihyar the Damascene is widely considered to be the apex of the modernist poetry movement in the Arab world. Drawing not only on Western influences, such as T. S. Eliot and Nietzsche, but on his own culture’s deep poetry traditions, Adonis single-handedly accomplished a masterful and radical transformation of the rigid formal structures and themes of Arabic poetry.
The name “Mihyar” has no inherent meaning in Arabic, though its root letters mean “to destroy, topple, demolish.” Mihyar is Adonis’s poetic alter ego, his Zarathustra figure (in his own words), who has come to smash through any monolithic vision of Arab culture—including certain orthodox Islamic views—in favor of a more diverse and open-ended outlook. Songs of Mihyar is a masterpiece of world literature that rewrites—through Mediterranean myths and renegade Arabic mystics—what it means to be an Arab in the modern world.
While major retailers like Amazon may carry Songs of Mihyar the Damascene, we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of Songs of Mihyar the Damascene.