The poet Moncef Mezghanni was born in 1954 in the Tunisian town of Sfax. He trained to become a teacher, taught for a while, and then went to work in the Ministeries of Education and Information. He is now director of the Maison de la Poésie in Tunis.

Mezghanni began writing poetry at an early age. At first he had to recite his poetry to reach an audience, as there were few opportunities for publication. By the time his first volume of poems was published, he had already made a name for himself performing at poetry nights and festivals. He now has published six collections of poems.

For children, Mezghanni has written two stories and two plays, one of which, Hisân al-Rîh (The Horse of the Wind), is in verse. Apart from this he works for radio, television and films. He also writes lyrics for songs.

 


Contributor's Issues

Banipal 39 - Modern Tunisian Literature (2010)

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