State of Emergency

Rooted in Algerian experience, this book speaks of urgent concerns everywhere - oppression, resistance, state violence, traumas and private dreams.

Britain has inadvertently inherited a political poet of stature, one whose language sings whether he is attacking the face of grim authority or dreaming of that other asylum which is an imagined Algeria of peace. In the excellent translation by Tom Cheesman and John Goodby, Guemar's poems carry all their native force and brusque wit."

Translators' preface/12, Introduction/21, Illusions/27, The right eyes/29, Itinerary/31, False departure/33, Summer hubbub/35, Hold-up/37, Certainties/39, The voiceless/41, The festival of the wolf/43, Graffiti/45, An original summer/47, Evenings/55, Suns/57, Eternal/59, For the love of jazz and chaabi/61, Ceremony/65, The hymn to paunches/67, Don Quimoh/69, The keywords/71, Anniversary/73, Rendez-vous/77, Homage/79, Loundja/81, Monologue/83, Here and there/85, Gegene/87, Interrogatory/89, A draught/91, The Aleph point/93, Place names/97, Leaves of mint/99, Russian dolls/101, Moonlight/103, A dream/105, Of puppets and men/107, Riff-raff/109, The choice/111, Flight and forgiveness/113, Sepulchres/115, To live far/117, The system/119, Offside/121, Parallel gardens/123, Overthrow/125, Outside and inside/127, Exile/131, Club des Pins/133, Demo/137, Scenarios/139, State of emergency/141, Crazy hope/145, Adieu!/147, Waiting/149, Vengeance/151, Force-folie/153, Right answers/155, Fire of joy/157. Notes/58. Biographical notes/160.