Gathering the Tide: An Anthology of Contemporary Arabian Gulf Poetry

Now in paperback, Gathering the Tide makes available to English-language readers the important literary work being undertaken by the poets of the Arabian Gulf. The book draws readers into a rich and vibrant world, offering an understanding of the people and culture of the region through poetry. A handful of anthologies have represented the Middle East in general or individual Middle Eastern countries, but this collection presents poets from across the Arabian Gulf - a region with a distinct and deeply rooted tradition of poetry and a thriving contemporary literary community. This is an exciting collection of poets from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The anthology includes a wide range of poetry from established and rising poets, from the work of Laala Kashef Alghata, a 19-year-old poet from Bahrain, to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai. While several of the poets composed their poems in English, most of the poems were translated from Arabic to English by an exceptional team of accomplished translators. The Gulf has attracted global attention for its explosive growth, and these poets contemplate everything from souks to shopping malls; to love, loss, and solitude; to war, peace, and beyond.