Yousef Al Sayegh

Yousef Al Sayegh (Arabic: يوسف الصائغ) (1933-2005) was an Iraqi poet, novelist, and playwright.

Career
Yousef was born in Mosul into a Christian family. In 1955, He graduated from the Department of Arabic Language at Dar Al-Mu’alimeen Al- ‘aliya (The Higher Teachers' House) with a master’s degree. He worked as a teacher for around 25 years. Then, he was appointed as Director-General of the Film and Theatre Department. He also worked in journalism for a long time. After the 1963 revolution, the Ba'ath Party imprisoned him for his political activities. He remained in prison until the early seventies. Then, he worked as a journalist. He wrote several poetry collections and a play. He was a member of The Writers’ Union, Artists Association, the Journalists Syndicate, the Higher Committee of Al-Mirbad Festival, and the Babylon Festival. He immigrated from Iraq to Syria and converted to Islam. He died in Damascus on December 12, 2005.

Poetry Works

 * Qasaid Gair Saliha LilNashr (Poems Not Valid for Publication) (1957).
 * I’tirafat Malik Bin Al-Rayb (Malik Bin Al-Rayb's Confessions) (1978).
 * Saiyidat Al-Tuffahat Al-Arba’ (Four Apples Lady) (1976).
 * I’tirafat (Confessions) (1978).
 * Al-Mu’allim (The Teacher) (1985).
 * Qasa’id Yosof Al-Sayegh (Yosof Al-Sayegh's Poems) (1993).
 * His master's dissertation on free verse poetry in Iraq.

Novels

 * Al-Lu’ba (The Game) (1972).
 * Al-Masafa (The Distance) (1974).

Plays

 * Al-Bab (The Door) (1986).
 * Al-Awdah (The Return) (1987).
 * Dizaymona (1989).