Seasons of the Word : Selected Poems (Middle East Literature in Translation)

Hilmi Yavuz is among Turkey's most celebrated poets. His poetry, at once cerebral and intensely emotional, has been translated into several languages but never, until now, into English. Walter G. Andrews' translations bring to the English-speaking world a glimpse into the complex and expressive poetry of Yavuz, introducing traditional Ottoman forms and themes into a familiar poetic landscape and opening a door of understanding to Western readers. While the poems featured in this volume are well able to stand alone, collected together they reveal the organic and developmental relationship between Yavuz's language and his self-expression. Barry Tharaud provides an insightful afterword, discussing Yavuz's work within the world of Turkish poetry and making a convincing plea for the importance of literature in translation. This volume will be of significant interest to anthologists, cultural and literary historians, and poetry lovers as well.