Music of a Distant Drum marks a literary milestone. It collects 129
poems from the four leading literary traditions of the Middle East, all
masterfully translated into English by Bernard Lewis, many for the first
time. These poems come from diverse languages and traditions--Arabic,
Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew--and span more than a thousand years.
Together they provide a fascinating and unusual window into Middle
Eastern history. Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the
region's culture and history, reveals verses of startling beauty,
ranging from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics about
wine, women, and love.
Bernard Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the region's
culture and history, offers a work of startling beauty that leaves no
doubt as to why such poets were courted by kings in their day. Like
those in the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, the poems here--as ensured by
Lewis's mastery of all the source languages and his impeccable style and
taste--come fully alive in English. They are surprising and sensuous,
disarmingly witty and frank. They provide a fascinating and unusual
glimpse into Middle Eastern history. Above all, they are a pleasure to
read.They range from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics
about wine, women, and love. Lewis begins with an introduction on the
place of poets and poetry in Middle Eastern history and concludes with
biographical notes on all the poets.
This treasure trove of verse is aptly summed up by a quote from the
ninth-century Arab author Ibn Qutayba: "Poetry is the mine of knowledge
of the Arabs, the book of their wisdom, the muster roll of their
history, the repository of their great days, the rampart protecting
their heritage, the trench defending their glories, the truthful witness
on the day of dispute, the final proof at the time of argument.?
In one hand the Qur'vn, in the other a wineglass,
Sometimes keeping the rules, sometimes breaking them.
Here we are in this world, unripe and raw,
Not outright heathens, not quite Muslims.
--Mujir (12th century)
