Mahmoud Darwich died on 9th August 2008 in Houston (Texas) at the age of 67. Born on 13 March 1941 in Galilee (Palestine, under British Mandate) he was considered the most important contemporary Arab poet today. In fact, he was the standard bearer of Palestinian poetry and his fame and recognition went far beyond the Arab world.
It is hard for Westerners to imagine the huge popularity which poets enjoy in the Arab world. From the Middle East to North Africa, not only do people read more poems than novels, but poetry is considered a living art which should be performed on stage by the authors themselves.
When Mahmoud Darwich recites his poems in Cairo, Beirut or Algiers (or even in Paris and London), packed crowds come to mouth the verse with him. And in some cases (as in Casablanca one day), the poet's voice is relayed by loudspeaker to his admirers thronging the neighbouring streets.