This is a great introduction not only to Arab poetics, but to Arabic literary criticism and history as well. Adonis first starts with an overview of pre-Islamic poetry, then goes on to discuss the influence of the Quaran on Arab poetry. There is then a fantastic chapter about poetry and thought which is a fantastic treatise on poetry in general. The collection ends with Arab poetics and modernity where Adonis comments both on contemporary Arab poetry but politics as well. Highly recommend.