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Libya

Run, George!

By Najwa Bin Shatwan

“There is hope. There is joy. Come on, George, let’s grab a slice of some of that fun and happiness for ourselves!”

Translated from Arabic by Sawad Hussain

Multilingual

The Veil: An Extremely Short Play

By Mansour Bushnaf

The men pull dollar bills out of their pockets and throw them at the women’s heads.

Translated from Arabic by Kareem James Abu-Zeid

Awaiting a Poem

The world has become a graveyard.

Translated from Arabic by Nariman Youssef

O My Libya

By Laila Neihoum

When Nowhere’s left for you we’ll take your place.

Translated from Arabic by Sumaya Jirde Ali

Multilingual

February 2008 Worth Ten Thousand Words A World Of Graphics Part Ii From Metro Magdy El Shafee Page Thumbnail

From “Metro”

By Magdy El Shafee

Magdy El Shafee’s Metro, the first adult Arabic graphic novel, is set in a chaotic modern Cairo pulsing with financial and social insecurity. Shihab, a young software designer who has been forced…

Translated from Arabic by Humphrey Davies

White Birds in a Black Space

By Ashur Etwebi

You may walk into the spaces of mildness and obedience / with the rebellious, the dreamers and the scared;

Translated from Arabic by the author

An Interview with Hisham Matar

Nouri Gana talks to Hisham Mattar about poetry, beards, and his novel In the Country of Men.

My City’s Ceiling Is Too Tight

By Hala Shurouf

O my city . . . Be a little larger / so that I may see my shadow free / on the sidewalks

Translated from Arabic by Issa J. Boullata

A Lady Who Does Not Resemble Me

By Hala Shurouf

She opens the window to the friendly morning / and tempts its birds

Translated from Arabic by Issa J. Boullata

Sabratha Fleeing

By Ashur Etwebi

Here you are now sitting in a cafe in Sabratha

Translated from Arabic by Khaled Mattawa

Preface to the Libya Issue of Words Without Borders, July 2006

By Khaled Mattawa

When it comes to countries that have been locked away—or locked out of—the Western world, Westerners tend to believe that little happens there during the time that they are not paying attention. Like…

Butterflies of Meaning

By Laila Neihoum

The cell. Whatever is there? / Listening a dreamy smile

Translated from Arabic by Laila Neihoum & Mohamed Hassan

The Right Course

By Ibrahim al-Koni

The tribes attributed to him provocative verses that denigrated the status of camels and extolled donkeys by contrast.

Translated from Arabic by William Maynard Hutchins

Reckless Habits

By Salem el-Okli

Is startled of every shadow, / So let me in slowly.

Translated from Arabic by Randa Jarrar

Melting Sun

By Laila Neihoum

Things fall apart, / Tide not turning.

Translated from Arabic by Laila Neihoum & Mohamed Hassan

Mint Flavored Hiccups

By Mohammed Al-Asfar

While picking the mint I got the hiccups. I am sure you were talking about me.

Translated from Arabic by Hisham Matar

Wet Sleeves

By Mohammed Al-Asfar

Life's routine persisted and more sleeves became wet, then dried, then became wet again, and so on.

Translated from Arabic by the author

The Sultan’s Flotilla

By Sadiq Neihoum

The dog was a hideous sight, putrid, offensive, with gouged-out eyes.

Translated from Arabic by Ethan Chorin

The Locusts

By Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Fagih

Haj Salim is tilling his field, rippling with blades of wheat and barley. What's he doing?

Translated from Arabic by Ethan Chorin

Terracina

By Luciana Capretti

McCain looked at his watch, remembered his abandoned pool game, his whisky, and his buddies who were waiting for him, and answered distractedly: Everything is gonna be fine.

Translated from Italian by Marina Harss