10 of the Best Kahlil Gibran Poems to Experience
Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), a Lebanese-American poet , is most celebrated for his iconic book, The Prophet . This 1923 masterpiece has sold over 9 million copies in the US alone, establishing Gibran as one of the most popular poets worldwide, following only Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu in lifetime sales.
Although The Prophet contains 26 lyrical essays spoken by the sage Almustafa as he prepares to leave after years of exile, Gibran’s poetic genius extends beyond this work. He wrote in both Arabic and English , producing fables, parables, and prose-poems that explore themes of love, sorrow, and wisdom. Here is a selection of Gibran’s most impactful works.
1. On Love Almitra, a seeress in The Prophet , asks Al Mustafa, the prophet, to explain love . Al Mustafa describes love as intense yet enlightening, urging people to embrace love’s challenges for their growth. He explains that love involves both joy and sorrow, encouraging us to welcome it wholly rather than selectively pursuing only its pleasur…