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Abd al-Karim al-Karmi (Abu Salma)

アブドゥル＝カリーム・アル＝カルミ（アブー・サルマ）

Abd al-Karim al-Karmi (Abu Salma)

Pen Names: Abu Salma（Pen name used for his poetry）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Tulkarm
Died
1980-10-11 （Washington, D.C. (George Washington University Hospital)） age 71
Nationality
Palestinian
Languages
Arabic, English
Residence History
Tulkarm (birthplace) → Haifa (studied law and worked) → Acre (briefly) → Damascus (residence) → Washington, D.C. (died)

Career

Occupations
Poet, Writer, Political activist
Active Years
1927-1980
Affiliations
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), General Union of Palestinian Writers and Journalists (chairman)
Memberships
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), General Union of Palestinian Writers and Journalists

Education

Unknown
Law
Country: Mandatory Palestine
Reported to have studied law in Haifa

Awards

Lotus Prize for Literature
1978
Organization: The Association of Asian and African Writers
Result: 受賞
Order of the Palestinian Revolution
1980
Organization: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
Result: 受章
Order of Jerusalem for Culture, Arts and Literature
1990
Organization: Palestine Liberation Organization (presented by Yasser Arafat)
Result: 追贈/受章
Order of Palestine for Culture, Science and Arts
2015
Organization: State of Palestine (presented by Mahmoud Abbas)
Result: 追贈/受章

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Exile

1953 Poetry

A collection of poems addressing exile and loss of homeland.

exilehomeland

Songs of My Country

1959 Poetry

Poems celebrating national pride and resistance.

nationalismresistance

Children's Songs

1964 Children's poetry

A collection of poems for children, some with educational and patriotic elements.

childreneducation

My Brush Is from Palestine

1971 Poetry

A poetry collection reflecting on homeland and creation.

homelandcreativity

Collected Works

1978 Collected poetry and prose

Comprehensive volume compiling his works up to that time.

retrospectivenational poetry

The Struggle of the Arabs of Palestine

1964 Prose

A prose work discussing the national and political struggle in Palestine.

politicshistory

Shaykh Sa‘id al-Karmi

1973 Biography/Prose

Biographical work concerning family and personal history.

biographyfamily history

Bibliography

  • The Exile (1953)
  • Songs of My Country (1959)
  • Children's Songs (1964)
  • The Struggle of the Arabs of Palestine (1964)
  • My Brush Is from Palestine (1971)
  • Shaykh Sa‘id al-Karmi (1973)
  • Collected Works (1978)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
nationalist poetrymodern poetry incorporating colloquial speech
Recurring Motifs
exilehomelandresistancechildren

Health

  • Sepsis
    1980
    Died of sepsis in 1980.

Legacy

Abu Salma is regarded as one of Palestine's foremost poets; his works on exile and resistance are widely known. He has had significant cultural influence on Palestinian literature and has received several honors posthumously.

Academic Societies

  • General Union of Palestinian Writers and Journalists

Archives

  • Institute for Palestine Studies archive (related materials)
  • Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA) materials

In Popular Culture

  • The poem "We Will Return" is widely cited as a symbol of resistance and return.

Quotes

  • We will return.
    Source: Poem "We Will Return" (1951)

Trivia

  • Participated in the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine; his poems about the revolt circulated widely.
  • Worked briefly for the Palestine Broadcasting Service (PBS).
  • Brothers include Hasan Karmi, Mahmoud Al-Karmi and Abdul-Ghani Al-Karmi.