About the Book

Night often evokes different meanings, depending on sociocultural beliefs and experiential idiosyncrasies. We cannot divorce these multiple interpretations associated with night. Each interpretation brings an insight into understanding the different shades of night, the many stars that try to shed light on our limited knowledge of the elemental and existential dynamics of night.

Recently, we had the privilege of reading different poems on the theme of night. It was illuminating to see how seasoned poets redefined the concept of night. That experience gave birth to this current project.

Oftentimes, we lose the beauty of poetic themes because we are preoccupied with experimenting with forms and different messages. However, it is necessary to explore, to a fuller dimension, a single theme and expand our understanding of the thematic conceit. Hence, the idea behind Themanthology, an anthology focusing on a single theme. In this case, “Night.”

Night is both elemental and chronological. Once darkness sets in, we often refer to that as night. It is illuminating to observe that day does not start without night. As a matter of timing, each day (or night?) begins in darkness, 12.00 am, the time when the sun is far sunk into the dying day of yesterday.

The fact stressed here is that night is an important aspect of any period of human existence or experience. Should we relate it to conception? Is a baby not in darkness while in the womb? And at the end of life, does man not return to another night, a darkness devoid of light as we know it?

The above questions are limitless. While we do not attempt to provide an answer in this project, what we have tried to do is to explore the multifaceted dynamics of night as crafted by different poets. There is no doubt that some poets will interpret night as something evil, while others venture to deconstruct it, giving it fresh meaning and new insight. Some poets even push the boundary beyond the familiar, by associating night with the product of the human psyche. In all, Themanthology of Night gives the reader a broader dimension of night from the lived experience and poetic ingenuity of seasoned poets.

What you have in your hand is a rare gift from great minds, the first of its kind. Open your mind and expand your horizon as you encounter “nights” from forty-five poets, drawing from a plethora of insight, ingenuity, introspection and innovation. As you enjoy their gifts, and share in their depth, we invite you to give your meaning to this endlessness called night.