On the 84th anniversary of the death of the legendary Arab poet Kahlil Gibran, his poems continue to resonate in a politically troubled region.
Influence of Famous Figures by His Writings
Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, Beatles member John Lennon, rock and roll king Elvis Presley, and American general Norman Schwarzkopf were all admirers of Kahlil Gibran’s writings.
His Impact on Popular Culture
His writings have even reached pop culture. When John Lennon, the leader of the Beatles in the 1960s, sang the words “Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you,” he was quoting Gibran’s famous lines from his book “The Prophet”: “Half of what I say is meaningless; but I say it so that the other half may reach you.”
Elvis Presley, known even today as the “King of Rock and Roll,” was a fan of Gibran’s writings and would read the poems from “The Prophet” aloud to his mother and even gifted copies of the book.
Humble Beginnings
Gibran was born in 1883 into a poor family in Bsharri, a beautiful town in northern Lebanon. He spent his youth among the rugged cliffs, flowing waterfalls, and towering cedar trees surrounding the town, leading him to write: “Nature extends to us with open arms and invites us to enjoy its beauty.”
His childhood was not ideal due to his father’s imprisonment for tax evasion. Eventually, the Ottoman authorities confiscated the family’s property, leaving them homeless.
Immigration to the United States
On June 25, 1895, Gibran traveled across the sea to New York and settled in Boston in an Arab neighborhood where Arabic was widely spoken and Middle Eastern customs were practiced. In Boston, art teacher Florence B. Seibert recognized Gibran’s talent and connected him with Fred Holland, a prominent figure in the city.
Returning to Boston and Artistic Influence
Gibran returned to Boston and held his first art exhibition in 1904, where he spoke with a wealthy arts patron in the city, Mary Haskell. He continued to contribute to local Arabic newspapers.
Moving to New York and Literary Success
In 1920, Gibran formed a literary society called the “Pen League,” which increased his fame. Then in 1923, his book “The Prophet” was published, and Gibran was well-regarded as a philosopher and poet.
Due to the continued sales of “The Prophet,” Gibran remains the third best-selling poet of all time, after Shakespeare and Lao Tzu.
The Final Departure
In 1931, Gibran passed away at the age of 48. He had been suffering from tuberculosis and liver cirrhosis. In 1926, Gibran decided to purchase a monastery in Lebanon to spend his retirement and as a monk’s residence for his final burial place. At his request, his sister Mariana purchased the monastery and monk’s residence.
Inscribed on his tomb is the phrase: “A word I wish to see written on my grave: I am alive like you, and I stand beside you. Close your eyes and look around, you will see me in front of you.”
In his speech at Nelson Mandela’s funeral at the end of last year, Archbishop Zibuzeli Siwa quoted Gibran saying, “The voice cannot carry the tongue and the lips that gave it wings. It must seek the ether alone. Alone and without his nest shall the eagle fly across the sun.”
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