After multiple unsuccessful attempts to restore his sight, he moved to Canada in 1968.[3] After receiving his PhD in poetry from McGill University, he spent his career as a professor of literature and resided in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.[4]
He was the author of 5 volumes of poetry in English, and two in Arabic, he selected, edited and translated into English the landmark anthology When the Words Burn: An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry and co-authored with his wife and fellow author Alison Burch a volume of selected poems by Muhammad al-Maghut entitled Joy is not my Profession. Asfour was known for his readings and lectures, which were entirely memorized due to his lack of sight.[5]
2014: Les Yeux Bandés par John Asfour traduit par Jean-Pierre Pelletieréditions Le Noroît, 95 pp.
2009: Nisan : poésie par John Asfour traduit par Nadine Ltaif éditions Le Noroît, 103 pp.
English
2016: Mirrors of Absence, Guernica, 2015
2012: V6A: Writing from Vancouver's Downtown EastsideEdited by: John Mikhail Asfour and Elee Kraljii Gardiner, foreword by Gary Geddes Arsenal Pulp Press, Vancouver, B.C.
2011: Blindfold
2009: Thursdays 2: Writings from the Carnegie Centre Edited by: Elee Kraljii Gardiner and John Mikhail Asfour, Otter Press, Vancouver, B.C.
1997: Fields of My Blood (poetry), Emperyal Press, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1994: Joy is Not My Profession: Selected Poems of Muhammad al-Maghut, trans. and introd. Co-author A. Burch, Véhicule Press, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1994 and 1995: Corridors: A Concordia Anthology (poetry & fiction), Assoc. Editor. Downtown Press, Montreal.
1992: One Fish From the Rooftop (poetry), Cormorant Books, Maxville, Canada. winner of the 1994 F.G. Bressani Literary Prize (Vancouver, B.C.). Trans. into Arabic as Samakah min ala al-sath (see below)
1988, 1992: When The Words Burn: An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry, & 1993, 1995, 1945 – 1987, selected, translated into English and introd., Cormorant Books, Maxville, Canada. Second ed., 1992.
Short-listed for the League of Poets Award (1990) and the John Glassco Award for Translation (1990)
Published for distribution in the Middle East by American Univ. in Cairo Press, Cairo, Egypt (1993), and by Inforium Press, Ankara, Turkey (1995)
1981: Land of Flowers and Guns (poetry), introd. Louis Dudek, D.C. Books, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Trans. into Arabic as Wurud wa-banadiq (see below)
1976: Nisan: A Book of Poetry, Fiddlehead Books, Univ. of New Brunswick Press, Fredericton, Canada
Arabic
2000: Wurud wa-banadiq (Flowers and Guns; trans. from English to Arabic). Author & trans. Co-translator Hatim Salman. Bisan Press, Beirut and Damascus.
2000: Samakah min ala al-sath (One Fish from the Rooftop; trans. from English to Arabic). Author & trans. Co-translator Abd al-Hakim Ajhar. Bisan Press, Beirut and Damascus.
2002: Hariq al-Kalimat (When the Words Burn; trans. from English to Arabic). Trans. Mona Fadel. Amwaj Press, Beirut and Damascus.
Articles
English
2008: Saadi Youssef: a poet in exile, The Montreal Gazette, Montreal Canada
2005: Muhammad al-Maghut: the voice of the voiceless, The Montreal Gazette, Montreal Canada
1993: Entry for "Muhammad al-Maghut" in the Encyclopedia of World Literature in the Twentieth Century, New York (The Continuum Publishing Company), Vol. V., pp. 402–03. Ed. Steven Serafin & Walter Glanze
1989: "Adonis and Muhammad al Maghut: Two Voices in a Burning Land," Journal of Arabic Literature, Glasgow, Scotland, Vol. XX, pp. 10–30. (Refereed)
1989: "Muhammad al Maghut and the Surplus Man," Edebiyat, (Univ. of Penn.), New Series Vol. I, No. 2, pp. 23–40. Co-author A. Burch
Poems & Translations
(English)
1987 ff.: Poems and translations in:
North American periodicals—e.g., PRISM international, Zymergy, Mizna, Parnassus, Chelsea, Absynthe
Newspapers—e.g., The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The Ottawa Citizen, the Gazette
Anthologies—e.g., The Signal Anthology, Montreal (Véhicule Press, 1993); TransLit Calgary (ATIA, 1994)
Literary broadcasts—radio (BBC, CJAD, CJFM) and television (CF Cable, CBC)
References
^. Archived from the original on February 9, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
^Montreal Gazette: Poetic voices from near and far – Different traditions, styles and themes are on display
^. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
^"Editing Workshop with John Asfour and Elee Kraljii Gardiner". Thursdays Writing Collective. June 14, 2009.
^"Farewell to Montreal poet John Asfour". montrealgazette.com.
^. Archived from the original on May 5, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
john, asfour, arabic, جون, عصفور, lebanese, canadian, poet, writer, teacher, grenade, exploded, face, blinding, during, lebanese, crisis, 1958, john, mikhail, asfourborn1945aitanite, lebanondiednovember, 2014montreal, quebec, canadaoccupationpoet, writer, teac. John Asfour Arabic جون عصفور was a Lebanese Canadian poet writer and teacher At the age of 13 a grenade exploded in his face blinding him during the Lebanese crisis of 1958 1 2 John Mikhail AsfourBorn1945Aitanite LebanonDiedNovember 2014Montreal Quebec CanadaOccupationPoet writer teacher translator activistAfter multiple unsuccessful attempts to restore his sight he moved to Canada in 1968 3 After receiving his PhD in poetry from McGill University he spent his career as a professor of literature and resided in Montreal Quebec Canada 4 He was the author of 5 volumes of poetry in English and two in Arabic he selected edited and translated into English the landmark anthology When the Words Burn An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry and co authored with his wife and fellow author Alison Burch a volume of selected poems by Muhammad al Maghut entitled Joy is not my Profession Asfour was known for his readings and lectures which were entirely memorized due to his lack of sight 5 Asfour was President of the Canadian Arab Federation from 1996 to 2002 and spoke out against revisions to the anti terrorism bill C 36 after the September 11 attacks In 2005 and 2007 he organized and held two conferences on Arab Immigrants their rights and duties for the Ministry of Immigration of Quebec Contents 1 Awards 2 Publications 2 1 Books 2 2 Articles 3 References 4 External linksAwards EditF G Bressani Literary Prize Canada Council for the Arts Joseph Staford award 2009 Inaugural Writer in Residence Historic Joy Kogawa House Vancouver B C 6 2001 2004 Chair of the Advisory Committee on Arab and Moslem Affairs for the Ministry of Canadian Multiculturalism 1996 2002 President of the Canadian Arab FederationPublications EditJohn Asfour Publications include Books Edit French2014 Les Yeux Bandes par John Asfour traduit par Jean Pierre Pelletiereditions Le Noroit 95 pp 2009 Nisan poesie par John Asfour traduit par Nadine Ltaif editions Le Noroit 103 pp English2016 Mirrors of Absence Guernica 2015 2012 V6A Writing from Vancouver s Downtown EastsideEdited by John Mikhail Asfour and Elee Kraljii Gardiner foreword by Gary Geddes Arsenal Pulp Press Vancouver B C 2011 Blindfold 2009 Thursdays 2 Writings from the Carnegie Centre Edited by Elee Kraljii Gardiner and John Mikhail Asfour Otter Press Vancouver B C 1997 Fields of My Blood poetry Emperyal Press Montreal Quebec Canada 1994 Joy is Not My Profession Selected Poems of Muhammad al Maghut trans and introd Co author A Burch Vehicule Press Montreal Quebec Canada 1994 and 1995 Corridors A Concordia Anthology poetry amp fiction Assoc Editor Downtown Press Montreal 1992 One Fish From the Rooftop poetry Cormorant Books Maxville Canada winner of the 1994 F G Bressani Literary Prize Vancouver B C Trans into Arabic as Samakah min ala al sath see below 1988 1992 When The Words Burn An Anthology of Modern Arabic Poetry amp 1993 1995 1945 1987 selected translated into English and introd Cormorant Books Maxville Canada Second ed 1992 Short listed for the League of Poets Award 1990 and the John Glassco Award for Translation 1990 Published for distribution in the Middle East by American Univ in Cairo Press Cairo Egypt 1993 and by Inforium Press Ankara Turkey 1995 1981 Land of Flowers and Guns poetry introd Louis Dudek D C Books Montreal Quebec Canada Trans into Arabic as Wurud wa banadiq see below 1976 Nisan A Book of Poetry Fiddlehead Books Univ of New Brunswick Press Fredericton CanadaArabic2000 Wurud wa banadiq Flowers and Guns trans from English to Arabic Author amp trans Co translator Hatim Salman Bisan Press Beirut and Damascus 2000 Samakah min ala al sath One Fish from the Rooftop trans from English to Arabic Author amp trans Co translator Abd al Hakim Ajhar Bisan Press Beirut and Damascus 2002 Hariq al Kalimat When the Words Burn trans from English to Arabic Trans Mona Fadel Amwaj Press Beirut and Damascus Articles Edit English2008 Saadi Youssef a poet in exile The Montreal Gazette Montreal Canada 2005 Muhammad al Maghut the voice of the voiceless The Montreal Gazette Montreal Canada 1993 Entry for Muhammad al Maghut in the Encyclopedia of World Literature in the Twentieth Century New York The Continuum Publishing Company Vol V pp 402 03 Ed Steven Serafin amp Walter Glanze 1989 Adonis and Muhammad al Maghut Two Voices in a Burning Land Journal of Arabic Literature Glasgow Scotland Vol XX pp 10 30 Refereed 1989 Muhammad al Maghut and the Surplus Man Edebiyat Univ of Penn New Series Vol I No 2 pp 23 40 Co author A BurchPoems amp Translations English 1987 ff Poems and translations in North American periodicals e g PRISM international Zymergy Mizna Parnassus Chelsea Absynthe Newspapers e g The Toronto Star The Globe and Mail The Ottawa Citizen the Gazette Anthologies e g The Signal Anthology Montreal Vehicule Press 1993 TransLit Calgary ATIA 1994 Literary broadcasts radio BBC CJAD CJFM and television CF Cable CBC References Edit Other Programs Christianne Hayward Archived from the original on February 9 2010 Retrieved February 19 2010 Montreal Gazette Poetic voices from near and far Different traditions styles and themes are on display Ryerson Library Asian Heritage in Canada Authors John Asfour Archived from the original on May 14 2011 Retrieved February 19 2010 Editing Workshop with John Asfour and Elee Kraljii Gardiner Thursdays Writing Collective June 14 2009 Farewell to Montreal poet John Asfour montrealgazette com Writer in residence Dr John Asfour co edits poems and prose from the Downtown Eastside Welcome to Historic Joy Kogawa House Archived from the original on May 5 2010 Retrieved February 19 2010 External links EditAuthor s web site John Asfour Circus of Words on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Asfour amp oldid 1105475605, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
