Abu Tammam (d. 231 or 232 H/845 or 846 AD) is one of the most celebrated poets in the Arabic language. Born in Syria of Greek Christian background, he soon made his name as one of the premier Arabic poets in the caliphal court of Baghdad. Abu Tammam vigorously promoted a new style of poetry that merged abstract and complex imagery with archaic Bedouin language. Both highly controversial and extremely popular, Abu Tammam's sophisticated verse epitomized the -modern style- (badi) that influenced all subsequent Arabic and Arabic-inspired poetry--an avant-garde aesthetic that was very...