Mahmoud Darwish: Poet for professors & taxi drivers

„Many people in the Arab world feel their language is in crisis,“ the Syrian poetry critic Subhi Hadidi said.
„And it is no exaggeration to say that Mahmoud is considered a savior of the Arab language.“
A Darwish reading in Cairo or Damascus draws thousands of people, from college professors to taxi drivers. …
In November he won the Lannan Foundation Prize for Cultural Freedom, which carries a $350,000 award. „Darwish’s poems are searing, precise and beautiful,“ said Janet Vorhees, the foundation’s executive director for programs. „He has been a voice for people who would not otherwise be heard.“

/ NYT 22.12.01*)