John Asfour
Encyclopedia
John Asfour (born in 1945 in Aitaneat, Lebanon
) is a Lebanese-Canadian
poet
, writer
, and teacher
. At the age of 13, a grenade
exploded in his face injuring his eyes during the Lebanese crisis of 1958.
He moved to Canada in 1968.
He is a former professor of literature residing in Montreal
, Canada
.
He is the author of 5 volumes of poetry in English
, and two in Arabic
, he has selected, edited and translated into English the landmark anthology When the Words Burn: An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry and co-authored with Alison Burch a volume of selected poems by Muhammad al-Maghut
entitled Joy is not my Profession.
In 2005 and 2007, he organized and held two conferences on Arab Immigrants, their rights and duties for the Ministry of Immigration of Quebec.
He resides in Montreal
, Quebec
.
2009: Nisan : poésie
par John Asfour
traduit par Nadine Ltaif
éditions Le Noroît, 103 pp.
English
2011: Blindfold
2009: Thursdays 2: Writings from the Carnegie Centre
Edited by:
Elee Kraljii Gardiner and John Mikhail Asfour
Otter Press, Vancouver, B.C.
1997: Fields of My Blood (poetry), Emperyal Press, Montreal, Canada
1994: Joy is Not My Profession: Selected Poems of Muhammad al-Maghut, trans. and introd. Co-author A. Burch, Véhicule Press, Montreal, Canada
1994 and 1995: Corridors: A Concordia Anthology (poetry & fiction), Assoc. Editor. Downtown Press, Montreal.
1992: One Fish From the Rooftop (poetry), Cormorant Books, Maxville, Canada. winner of the 1994 F.G. Bressani Literary Prize (Vancouver, B.C.). Trans. into Arabic as Samakah min ala al-sath (see below)
1988, 1992: When The Words Burn: An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry,
& 1993, 1995 1945 - 1987, selected, translated into English and introd., Cormorant Books, Maxville, Canada. Second ed., 1992.
• Short-listed for the League of Poets Award (1990) and the John Glassco Award for Translation (1990)
• Published for distribution in the Middle East by American Univ. in Cairo Press, Cairo, Egypt (1993), and by Inforium Press, Ankara, Turkey (1995)
1981: Land of Flowers and Guns (poetry), introd. Louis Dudek, D.C. Books, Montreal, Canada. Trans. into Arabic as Wurud wa-banadiq (see below)
1976: Nisan: A Book of Poetry, Fiddlehead Books, Univ. of New Brunswick Press, Fredericton, Canada
Arabic
2000: Wurud wa-banadiq (Flowers and Guns; trans. from English to Arabic). Author & trans. Co-translator Hatim Salman. Bisan Press, Beirut and Damascus.
2000: Samakah min ala al-sath (One Fish from the Rooftop; trans. from English to Arabic). Author & trans. Co-translator Abd al-Hakim Ajhar. Bisan Press, Beirut and Damascus.
2002: Hariq al-Kalimat (When the Words Burn; trans. from English to Arabic). Trans. Mona Fadel. Amwaj Press, Beirut and Damascus.
2008: Saadi Youssef: a poet in exile, The Montreal Gazette, Montreal Canada
2005: Muhammad al-Maghut: the voice of the voiceless, The Montreal Gazette, Montreal Canada
1993: Entry for “Muhammad al-Maghut” in the Encyclopedia of World Literature in the Twentieth Century, New York (The Continuum Publishing Company), Vol. V., pp. 402–03. Ed. Steven Serafin & Walter Glanze
1989: “Adonis and Muhammad al Maghut: Two Voices in a Burning Land,” Journal of Arabic Literature, Glasgow, Scotland, Vol. XX, pp. 10–30. (Refereed)
1989: “Muhammad al Maghut and the Surplus Man,” Edebiyat, (Univ. of Penn.), New Series Vol. I, No. 2, pp. 23–40. Co-author A. Burch
Poems & Translations: (English)
1987 ff.: Poems and translations in:
• North American periodicals—e.g., PRISM international, Zymergy, Mizna, Parnassus, Chelsea, Absynthe
• newspapers—e.g., The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The Ottawa Citizen, the Gazette
• anthologies—e.g., The Signal Anthology, Montreal (Véhicule Press, 1993); TransLit Calgary (ATIA, 1994)
• literary broadcasts—radio (BBC, CJAD, CJFM) and television (CF Cable, CBC)
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
) is a Lebanese-Canadian
Lebanese-Canadian
Lebanese Canadians are Canadian nationals of Lebanese origin. There are according to the 2006 Census some 165,150 Canadians of Lebanese origin, making them by far the largest group of people with Arabic-speaking roots....
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. At the age of 13, a grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
exploded in his face injuring his eyes during the Lebanese crisis of 1958.
He moved to Canada in 1968.
He is a former professor of literature residing in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
He is the author of 5 volumes of poetry in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and two in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, he has selected, edited and translated into English the landmark anthology When the Words Burn: An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry and co-authored with Alison Burch a volume of selected poems by Muhammad al-Maghut
Muhammad al-Maghut
Muhammed al-Maghut was a Syrian writer and poet. He was born in Salamiya, Syria in an Ismaili family.Muhammad Maghout was credited as the father of the Arabic free verse poetry, liberatng the Arabic poems from the traditional form and revolutionizing the structure of the poem.He wrote for...
entitled Joy is not my Profession.
In 2005 and 2007, he organized and held two conferences on Arab Immigrants, their rights and duties for the Ministry of Immigration of Quebec.
He resides in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Awards
- F.G. Bressani Literary Prize
- Canada Council for the ArtsCanada CouncilThe Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
Joseph Staford award, - 2009: Inaugural Writer-in-Residence, Historic Joy Kogawa House, Vancouver B.C.
- 2001-2004: Chair of the Advisery Committee on Arab and Moslem Affairs for the Ministry of Canadian Multiculturalism
- 1996-2002: President of the Canadian Arab FederationCanadian Arab FederationThe Canadian Arab Federation was formed in 1967 to represent the interests of Arab Canadians with respect to the formulation of public policy in Canada. It presently consists of over 40 member organizations....
Books
French2009: Nisan : poésie
par John Asfour
traduit par Nadine Ltaif
éditions Le Noroît, 103 pp.
English
2011: Blindfold
2009: Thursdays 2: Writings from the Carnegie Centre
Edited by:
Elee Kraljii Gardiner and John Mikhail Asfour
Otter Press, Vancouver, B.C.
1997: Fields of My Blood (poetry), Emperyal Press, Montreal, Canada
1994: Joy is Not My Profession: Selected Poems of Muhammad al-Maghut, trans. and introd. Co-author A. Burch, Véhicule Press, Montreal, Canada
1994 and 1995: Corridors: A Concordia Anthology (poetry & fiction), Assoc. Editor. Downtown Press, Montreal.
1992: One Fish From the Rooftop (poetry), Cormorant Books, Maxville, Canada. winner of the 1994 F.G. Bressani Literary Prize (Vancouver, B.C.). Trans. into Arabic as Samakah min ala al-sath (see below)
1988, 1992: When The Words Burn: An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry,
& 1993, 1995 1945 - 1987, selected, translated into English and introd., Cormorant Books, Maxville, Canada. Second ed., 1992.
• Short-listed for the League of Poets Award (1990) and the John Glassco Award for Translation (1990)
• Published for distribution in the Middle East by American Univ. in Cairo Press, Cairo, Egypt (1993), and by Inforium Press, Ankara, Turkey (1995)
1981: Land of Flowers and Guns (poetry), introd. Louis Dudek, D.C. Books, Montreal, Canada. Trans. into Arabic as Wurud wa-banadiq (see below)
1976: Nisan: A Book of Poetry, Fiddlehead Books, Univ. of New Brunswick Press, Fredericton, Canada
Arabic
2000: Wurud wa-banadiq (Flowers and Guns; trans. from English to Arabic). Author & trans. Co-translator Hatim Salman. Bisan Press, Beirut and Damascus.
2000: Samakah min ala al-sath (One Fish from the Rooftop; trans. from English to Arabic). Author & trans. Co-translator Abd al-Hakim Ajhar. Bisan Press, Beirut and Damascus.
2002: Hariq al-Kalimat (When the Words Burn; trans. from English to Arabic). Trans. Mona Fadel. Amwaj Press, Beirut and Damascus.
Articles
English2008: Saadi Youssef: a poet in exile, The Montreal Gazette, Montreal Canada
2005: Muhammad al-Maghut: the voice of the voiceless, The Montreal Gazette, Montreal Canada
1993: Entry for “Muhammad al-Maghut” in the Encyclopedia of World Literature in the Twentieth Century, New York (The Continuum Publishing Company), Vol. V., pp. 402–03. Ed. Steven Serafin & Walter Glanze
1989: “Adonis and Muhammad al Maghut: Two Voices in a Burning Land,” Journal of Arabic Literature, Glasgow, Scotland, Vol. XX, pp. 10–30. (Refereed)
1989: “Muhammad al Maghut and the Surplus Man,” Edebiyat, (Univ. of Penn.), New Series Vol. I, No. 2, pp. 23–40. Co-author A. Burch
Poems & Translations: (English)
1987 ff.: Poems and translations in:
• North American periodicals—e.g., PRISM international, Zymergy, Mizna, Parnassus, Chelsea, Absynthe
• newspapers—e.g., The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The Ottawa Citizen, the Gazette
• anthologies—e.g., The Signal Anthology, Montreal (Véhicule Press, 1993); TransLit Calgary (ATIA, 1994)
• literary broadcasts—radio (BBC, CJAD, CJFM) and television (CF Cable, CBC)