Guernica Editions

The imaginary world of Lebanese Canadian exiled poet Nadine Ltaif is rooted in the context of middle-eastern geography and mythology. Any attempt at understanding her poetic experience must be anchored in Mediterranean symbolism. The analysis of these Mediterranean symbols reveals a metaphysical process or a quest which begins with the exploration of the anguish of uprootedness and exile, reaches an emotional catharsis that desperately searches for a emotional refuge and finally leads to the emergence of a feeling of liberation and plenitude.

"In a mixture of prose and verse Nadine Ltaif draws on mythological imagery to paint a moving portrait of the exile, loss, love and new beginnings that she experienced as a Lebanese woman during her quest for a new life in Canada. The first part of this poetry collection, "In Hectate's Shadow," tells of a thirst for love and a desire for acceptance in a world where misunderstanding and hope coexist. The second part, "Exile," expresses Ltaif 's love for her new land, Canada, and the need to bid farewell to the Orient in order to embrace the freedoms, but also the resulting feelings of rootlessness, that exile brings. In the final part, "Strong Sap," she draws on Arabic mythology to describe the roots she discards in a bid for rebirth in the new land. Ltaif 's vivid metaphorical language voices the dichotomy of the repression of a woman's femininity in the Arab world and its celebration in Canadian society. Ltaif 's journey from the shadow of Hecate ends on a positive note with her feeling free to spread her wings and able to continue the eternal cycle of life in her adopted country."