Imru’ al-Qays

We’re starting our exploration of the rich heritage of Arabic literature by going right back to the beginning: the poetry of pre-Islamic Arabia. This episode looks at one poet from this time: Imruʾ l-Qays (who probably died in 542 CE), though our conversation touches on his peers and the tradition which edited, collected, and prized his work.

Reading: Fate the Hunter: Early Arabic Hunting Poems, edited and translated by James Montgomery https://nyupress.org/9781479825257/fate-the-hunter/