Nothing twice

Author's name: Wisława Szymborska Publisher: Tabaq for Publishing and Distribution Year of publication: 2023 Literary classification: Poetry Book overview: A poetry collection by the Polish poetess Wisława Szymborska, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1996, translated and introduced by the Palestinian writer Yusuf Hanna. In his commentary, translator Yusuf Hanna said that the translation of the poems into Arabic was based on three languages to present the poems in their poetic form without losing their poetic nature. The translator Hanna describes poetess Szymborska as wise, for her ability to combine her philosophical opinions, deep and sharp thinking with a high sensory and poetic ability. Yusuf Hanna, a Palestinian from the Galilean village of Rameh, works on a project of literary translations from several languages including Romanian, English, and Hebrew, in addition to several critical and literary articles. The issuance of this collection is the result of four years of work during which he read the works of the Polish poetess and worked on translating them. Szymborska (1923-2012) is considered one of the most diverse poets of her era in the use of literary styles. Her poems are characterized by their invocation of philosophical and existential issues, earning her the nickname "Music Mozart of poetry," in homage to the genius of Austrian musician Wolfgang Mozart. Her poetic project also adopts reflection on the depths of things with a satirical humorous spirit, as she said in her Nobel Prize acceptance speech: "Only executioners, dictators, fools, and sycophants of the masses know, but they know once and for all." Her poems have been translated into more than one global language. In addition to the Nobel, she received the German Goethe Prize in 1991 for her poetry, and she published 16 poetry collections.