YR by James Leggate (howl and other poems txt) 📕

Tunisia is a mystical land. A land that has seen the Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Normans, Ottomans and Arabs. It’s also a beautiful land of Mediterranean waters and olives and saharan landscapes and cultures.
Amazingly however Tunisian poet Youssef Rzouga resists the temptation to write about all of this. His poetry is not places and events and there are no cliches of Africa or the Arab world. His voice is unique and independent and his style and subjects unexpected and confronting.
I first met Youssef in a pavement cafe in Avenue Bourguiba, the main promenade of dowtown Tunis. He was with friends, arab poets and writers. Me a photographer from Australia was immediately welcomed into a group been to exchange with another artist.
From the start what impresses you about Youssef is his tireless alertness and energy.
He sits upright in chair, bundle of books always in lap, eyes brimming with an eagerness to absorb everything.
We meet often and I show him photos, he devours every detail. Impossible to predict what might inspire him. It’s wonderful to see how quickly he starts creating. He connects images, histories and people crossing borders and taboos without hesitation. There’s no stopping him. He’s generous and passionate about words and seems limitless in his capacity to search out and produce them so beautifully.
30 poetry books a novel and a children’s book credit this.

BIO

Rzouga, Youssef, March 21st, 1957 in Mahdia / Tunisia
- First literary experiences : 1967.
- First text published : « Something called need », a short story in the magazine « Radio et Télévision » (1973).
- Studies
- Primary :
- School of Zorda (Sidi Alouan / Mahdia)

- Secondary :
- Secondary school of Ksour Essef and school of Sousse

- University :

- Master’s Degree in Journalism and information sciences (Political sciences).
- Russian language Diploma from the Faculty Patrice Lumumba, Moscow
- Postgraduate Diploma in Political sciences from the Faculte des droits et des sciences politiques of Tunis.
- Postgraduate Diploma in theories of art and aesthetics from the Institut supérieur de Beaux- art of Tunis.
- Postgarduate Diploma in journalism and information sciences.

- Professionnal experience
- Editor of the daily paper « El-Amal » (1980-1982)
- Chief editor of the magazine « Ach"er » (La poésie) published by the ministry of Culture (1982-1987)
- Editor of the daily paper « El-Amal » then in « Elhoria » (1987-1989)
- Chief editor of the magazine « Aljil Aljadid » (1990-1992)
- Chief editor of the literary supplement « Warakat Thakafiya » of the Tunisian daily paper « Essahafa », since 1989.

- Other activities and honour
- 1981 : Award of the ministry of Culture for his poetic book « I"m distinguished from ou by my grievances »
- 1986 : Award of the ministry of Culture for his poetic book « The program of the rose ».
- 1999 : Award of the ministry of Culture for his poetic book « The Wolf in the Word ».
- 2005 : National merit award in the cultural field.
- 2004 : Gold medal of Literature and Arts / Jordan.
- 2005 : Shield of Diwan Al Arab / Egypt.
- 2002 : Youssef Rzouga Award of Poetry (A yearly Poetic Prize started in 2002, awarded to the best young poet within the framework of « The Meeting of Greater on literary creation »).
- 2003 : Chebbi Prize for his poetic book : « Flowers of Dioxyde of History ».
- 2003 : The Pen of the Poet Youssef Rzouga (A yearly Poetic Prize started in july 2003 in Sidi Alouan).
- 2004 : Prize of the gouvernorat of Mahdia for his poetic book : « Emergency Case Declaration ».
- 2004 : King Abdallah II’s creativity Prize / Jordan.
- He was invited to many international literary festivals and conferences : Jordan, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Russia, Yougoslavia, Italy, France…
- President of the club « Mercredi littéraire » in Tunis since 1988.
- Member of the Union of Arab Writers
- Member of the Tuisian Association of Journalists

Poetic Works
In Arabic :
- I’m distinguished from you by my grievances (1979)
- The program of the Rose (1985)
- The Astrolabe of Youssef the traveler (1986)
- The Wolf in the Word (1998)
- The Country Between the Hands (2001)
- Flowers of Dioxyde of History (2001)
- Emergency Case Declaration (2002)
- The Butterfly and the Dynamite (2004)
- Yogana (The Book of Poetic Yoga) (2004)
- Poetical Works (Volume I)… (2003)
- The Ground Zero (2005)
- The plastic of the soul (2005)
- Rhapsody of Troubadour (2005)
- The scandal of the narcissus (2005)


Autobiography :
- A life to a certain extent

In French :

- The boy of the spider (2005)
- Yotalia (with Hera Vox) (2005)
- 1001 Poems (Love’s sings with Hera Vox) (2005)
- France Garden (2005)

English Translations :
- Two hells in the heart (2005)
- Pacem in terris (with Philip Hacket / San Francisco) (2005)

French Translations :
- Claws of waters (extracts) by walid soliman
- The image’s outdated (extracts) by years fontaine + Poems (extracts) by H.Khelil

Analytic approche :
- Stakes of arabic rhythmics.

• Novel :
- The archipelago

• Tales for children :
- « And the Orange flied Away .. » (1992)

Works about his books :
- The Garden and its surroundings (Aspects of the career of the poet Youssef Rzouga, 224 pages) By : Khaled Mejri and Chawki Anizi.
- Globalization and poetic Language in « Flowers of Dioxyde of History » by Maher Derbel and Abderrazek Kolsi.
- The Troubadour of Modern Times, edited by Walid Soliman.
- The Half-open Door, by Hafedh Mahfoudh.
- Down with the mask, by Chamseddine Ouni.
- The orchestra of the poet in « Emergency Case Declaration » by Houyem Ferchichi.
- The explosive language and anticipation’s theme into Rzouga’s poetry…by Mourad Ben Mansour.
- The crescent in the cast, the crescent in the west by Abdelhamid chkili.
- Contemporary arab poetry, how decipher it ?
(Y.Rzouga one’s model in « Emergency Case Declaration by Saber Habacha and others »)

Pacem in Terris

Until last evening and its cold
Even in Rome
Always she promised
Just hinting at things too
Long left undone
Now gently her hand
Touches the light
Moving out of the shadow
(…) John Paul the second
cries out to all listening
PEACE ON EARTH TO ALL
He is shot and nearly dies
But forgives his assailant

About the poet

Youssef RZOUGA

« Those words with which I have fun, are never my words, but my shroud. » Y.RZOUGA

Youssef RZOUGA was born on March 21st, 1957 in Ksour Essef (TUNISIA) and he is considered as one of the most representative figures of the contemporary Tunisian poetry. National and Arab critics seem to be unanimous about the fact that he is a unique and original poetic voice.
In addition to his ten poetic books- among which we can cite : « The program of the Rose », « The Wolf in the Word », « The Butterfly and the Dynamite », and « Yogana »- Rzouga wrote a novel « The Archipelago » (Tunis 1986) and a tale for children : « And the Orange Flied Away ».
In 2003, the first volume of his « Collected Poetic Works » was published and it has met with great critical acclaim and confirmed his position as the most prolific and brilliant poet in North Africa.
Youssef Rzouga has won many awards and a number of his poems were translated into many languages such as French, English, Spanish, Russian, etc.
Walid Soliman

QUOTES

« … The camera of Rzouga – like an ogre- gulps all what it sees.
.. Rzouga is surrounded by the song from evrywhere, and despite the immensity of the sky, his star remains and enigma …
… Sitting beneath the apple tree which caused his loss and his descent into the glaucous hell of life, Adam (or Rzouga) is bored with history. » Hechmi Ghachem

Le temps : 31/01/2002

« …Youssef Rzouga lights the fire of language, wakes up the ash of history (…) the allusive poetry of Rzouga makes our heads swim. » Habib Salha

La Presse : 11/02/2002

… Youssef Rzouga announces « a state of emergency ».
Alert ! Tongues shut down, the sun blows out, the philosophers following the mermaid’s song are devoured by a sea which have got no soul.
« They disappeared at the very bottom, between the rocks, there was only blood gushing out to the surface. », writes Youssef RZOUGA. » Héla Hazgui

La Presse : 8/9/2002

… Youssef Rzouga has imposed himself on the Tunisian and Arab poetic scene and he owes this only to his work.
Hédi KHELIL

La Presse : 03/11/2003

… Rzouga gives evidence that we can be a poet and succeed
(..) In spite of all these terrible wars, Rzouga smiles. He has well built the foundations of his work. Hachmi GHACHEM

Le Temps 08/09/2003

(…) Y.Rzouga embarks on the unknown to explore new esthetics. He multiples the questions and rebels against the obvious. Hamdi HMAIDI

La Presse : 01/12/2003

Publication Date: 01-20-2010

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