Khalil Gibran

Gibran Khalil Gibran (Arabic: ????? ???? ????? ) (January 6 1883 – April 10 1931) was a Lebanese poet, artist and Maronite Christian. His poetry is notable for its use of formal language and insights on topics of life using spiritual terms. He studied art in Boston, and French and Arabic in Lebanon.

Youth in Lebanon

Growing up in the lush region of Bsharri, Gibran proved to be a solitary and pensive child who relished the natural surroundings of the cascading falls, the rugged cliffs and the neighboring green cedars, the beauty of which emerged as a dramatic and symbolic influence to his drawings and writings. Being laden with poverty, he did not receive any formal education or learning, which was limited to regular visits to a village priest who taught him the essentials of religion and The Bible, alongside Syriac and Arabic languages. Recognizing Gibran's inquisitive and alert nature, the priest began teaching him the rudiments of alphabet and language, opening up to Gibran the world of history, science, and language.

Related Topics:
Bsharri - Cedars - The Bible - Syriac - Arabic

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At the age of ten, Gibran fell off a cliff, wounding his left shoulder, which remained weak for the rest of his life. To relocate the shoulder, his family strapped it to a cross and wrapped it up for forty days, a symbolic incident reminiscent of Christ's wanderings in the wilderness and which remained etched in Gibran's memory.

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Khalil Gibran, Gibran's father, was accused of tax evasion and was sent to prison; the Ottoman authorities confiscated the Gibrans' property and left them homeless. The family went to live with relatives for a while; however, the strong-willed mother, Kamila, decided that the family should emigrate to the U.S., seeking a better life and following in suit to Gibran's uncle who emigrated earlier. The father was released in 1894, but he was undecided about emigrating and remained behind in Lebanon.

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