I belong to a specific category of writers, those who speak and write in a language different from that of their parents.
Tahar Ben JellounOur steps invent the path as we proceed; behind us they leave no trace, only the void. So we shall always look ahead and trust our feet. They will take us as far as our minds will go... -- Tahar ben Jelloun
Tahar Ben JellounI do not use the language of my people. I can take liberties with certain themes which the Arabic language would not allow me to take.
Tahar Ben JellounI came to poetry through the urgent need to denounce injustice, exploitation, humiliation. I know that's not enough to change the world. But to remain silent would have been a kind of intolerable complicity.
Tahar Ben Jelloun