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machka_llesan's review
3.0
My first admission is that I struggled to read "Concerto al-Quds." This poem has so many allusions to ahadith, history, the Quran, and the Bible that I spent almost as much time in the "Notes" section as I did reading the actual poem.
Nonetheless, I believe that this heavily metaphorical style is something that is increasingly rare in poetry and for that I can appreciate the writing style of Adonis. Though my comprehension of the poem may have been better if I had side-by-side notes to each line of the poem (not unlike Shakespeare is now published), for those who are intimately familiar with the geography of Jerusalem and religious references, this poem would undoubtedly be more enjoyable.
Literature (and particularly poetry) often loses some of its artistry in translation, but Khaled Mattawa seems to have done a very thorough job in presenting as much of the original connotation and double meanings as Adonis intended.
Nonetheless, I believe that this heavily metaphorical style is something that is increasingly rare in poetry and for that I can appreciate the writing style of Adonis. Though my comprehension of the poem may have been better if I had side-by-side notes to each line of the poem (not unlike Shakespeare is now published), for those who are intimately familiar with the geography of Jerusalem and religious references, this poem would undoubtedly be more enjoyable.
Literature (and particularly poetry) often loses some of its artistry in translation, but Khaled Mattawa seems to have done a very thorough job in presenting as much of the original connotation and double meanings as Adonis intended.
ailbhewillow's review against another edition
5.0
One of the most stunning—and educational—works of poetry I have ever read. The translation was obviously handled with great care. Wow.
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