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Last Farewells To Palestinian Poet Mahmoud Darwish: BBC Learning English Words in The News 13 August 2008

Mahmoud Darwish, a prominent Palestinian poet, was honored at his funeral in Ramallah, attended by tens of thousands who viewed him as a national icon. His poetry, reflecting the Palestinian experience of exile and occupation, played a crucial role in shaping national identity and resonated deeply with people from various backgrounds. Darwish's work, which included criticism of internal divisions among Palestinians, is expected to endure throughout the Arab world.

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62 views2 pages

Last Farewells To Palestinian Poet Mahmoud Darwish: BBC Learning English Words in The News 13 August 2008

Mahmoud Darwish, a prominent Palestinian poet, was honored at his funeral in Ramallah, attended by tens of thousands who viewed him as a national icon. His poetry, reflecting the Palestinian experience of exile and occupation, played a crucial role in shaping national identity and resonated deeply with people from various backgrounds. Darwish's work, which included criticism of internal divisions among Palestinians, is expected to endure throughout the Arab world.

Uploaded by

mr.nguyentuongminh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BBC Learning English

Words in the news


13th August 2008
Last farewells to Palestinian poet
Mahmoud Darwish

Tens of thousands of Palestinians are lining the streets of Ramallah on the West Bank for the
funeral of poet Mahmoud Darwish, one of the most influential cultural figures in recent Arab
history. This report from Aleem Maqbool:

Palestinians will be burying a national icon, a man whose work was often based on his
experiences of life in exile and under occupation that resonated with many. Over the decades,
he was instrumental in forging a sense of Palestinian national identity. People of all
backgrounds here feel they had a personal connection to Mahmoud Darwish, and pride in a
man who told their story in a way they weren't able to.

Thousands would flock to his recitals, his poems were transformed into popular songs and
used in political speeches, and the words he wrote now form part of Palestinian daily life.

But he wasn't shy of talking of his people's shortcomings. He had written fierce criticism
of the divisions among Palestinians, believing, in some ways, what they were doing to
themselves was worse than anything others had done to them.

There's little doubt his work, not just on the Palestinian cause, but on love and hope and death,
will endure across the Arab world.

Aleem Maqbool, BBC News, Ramallah

Words in the news © British Broadcasting Corporation 2008


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bbclearningenglish.com
Vocabulary and definitions

a national icon here, someone who is uncritically admired by the whole


nation (often because they symbolize or represent an idea
or movement)

in exile when someone is sent or kept away from their own


country, often for political reasons

resonated with were shared by, struck a chord/note with

he was instrumental in forging his work was one of the most important factors that helped
to form and develop

of all backgrounds from all social classes, of different statuses and with
different family histories

flock to his recitals come in large groups to hear him read his poems

he wasn't shy of talking he was confident enough to talk, he didn't avoid talking

shortcomings faults, failures to achieve something

fierce criticism of the divisions strong disapproval of the fact that Palestinians were not
among Palestinians united

endure here, last/be remembered

More on this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7557713.stm

Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2008/08/080813_darwish.shtml

Words in the news © British Broadcasting Corporation 2008


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bbclearningenglish.com

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