Indian, Persian, Arabian Poetic Treasures - Martin Bidney - Bog

Here are lyrical treasures from lands where the heights of poetic achievement have been reached over the course of centuries.The first third of the book is focused on a Hindu-based world, the last two thirds on worlds of Islam. In ancient story poems by Kalidasa preternatural realms intensify the highest blessings we enjoy (or, at times, enjoy-and-suffer) on our glorious earth. I feel here an implicit metaphysic of life-making energy as an overflowing and spendthrift strength. My dialogues with poet Bhatrihari elaborate this feeling. The Islam-nurtured anecdotes, parables, legends, metaphors, and other vehicles of spiritual nourishment challenge equally the mind and the emotions-adding, as well, copious portions of wit and irony, satire and whimsy and humor. Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866), a German poet and translator of genius who learned 44 languages, made these rare poetic treasures available for me to render into English wordsongs for you. I write verse "replies" to all the poems, and together they form an extended time-travel "interview."