The Abduction

The Abduction is a powerful book on intimacy, a mother's rights, war, exile, and freedom by Maram Al-Masri, winner of an Albertine and FACE Foundation grant. It details the terror and sorrow surrounding the abduction of her only child by her then husband who fled to Syria. Al-Masri's poetry is haunting, spellbinding, and delicate, profound, and powerful, addressing the status of women, seeking to reconcile her role as a mother with her writing work. She also includes The Bread of Letters, which addresses the act of writing and is a vital and deeply human need. The Guardian described her as a love poet whose verse spares no truth of love's joys and mercilessness.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 100 pages
Publication date: 18 May 2023
Publisher: White Pine Press

Winner of an Albertine and FACE Foundation grant, The Abduction vividly depicts the terror and anguish that enveloped Maram Al-Masri's life when her husband, who had fled to Syria, abducted their only child, leaving her unable to fight for custody due to the patriarchal nature of society and the social and political issues prevalent in that region. This autobiographical event forms the basis of The Abduction, a poignant and powerful exploration of love, despair, and hope. Through her delicate and profound poetry, Al-Masri delves into the intricacies of intimacy, the rights of mothers, the consequences of war, exile, and freedom.

Al-Masri's voice resonates with all parents who have been forcibly separated from their loved ones, and her writing explores the complex interplay between her roles as a mother and a writer. The war that has ravaged her native country since 2011 has had a profound impact on her, as she reflects on the status of women and the challenges they face in a society grappling with political unrest.

In addition to The Abduction, Al-Masri's collection includes The Bread of Letters, a series of two poems that delve into the act of writing itself. Isn't the act of writing an outrageous act in itself? she questions. Writing is a means of getting to know one's innermost thoughts, a way of expressing one's truth and vulnerability. Al-Masri's poetry is scandalous because it reveals her innermost emotions, pain, hope, desire, hunger, and thirst. For her, writing is a vital and deeply human need, a means of liberation and self-expression. Poetry offers her life vibration, the flush of a river, and a connection to the deepest parts of herself.

Through her powerful and evocative poetry, Al-Masri invites readers to explore the complexities of human experience, to empathize with those who have faced adversity, and to celebrate the resilience and strength of the human spirit. Her work is a testament to the power of literature to transcend boundaries and connect people across cultures and generations.

Dimension: 152 x 228 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781945680618