Crossings

Poetry. Middle Eastern Studies. Translated from the French by Marilyn Hacker. "Beginning with the astonishing prologue poem, 'Conversation with Mohammed Dib,' followed by four long, spectacular poems, each a small book in itself, Habib Tengour's CROSSINGS takes us through various, lavishly depicted, geographical, political, historical, spiritual, moral, and aesthetic spaces that we've never been in before. 'My tribe that cannot be worn down continues,' the poet says. His tribe being—in Ezra Pound's phrase describing poets—'the antennae of the race.' CROSSINGS is an amazing book by a brilliant poet, amazingly and brilliantly translated by Marilyn Hacker, who is at her characteristic best, which is the best."—Lawrence Joseph