Gibran Khalil Gibran

One of the best-selling books of the 20th century is a volume of prose poems on religion, death, love, work, and other subjects bound up with human existence. Entitled 'The Prophet', it was written by Gibran Khalil Gibran, poet, philosopher, artist, novelist, writer,whose writings in both Arabic and English have inspired millions.do you know him truly? I'm one of these millions, what about you? To many he is a genius whose philosophical style convey important messages about life and humanity in a simple, yet beautifully expressive manner, that are as fresh and meaningful in today's world as when they were first written. Here is a brief biography of this great man:
Gibran was born at Bsharri, Lebanon, on Jan 6, 1883. After primary schooling in Beirut, he was taken by his parents to Boston and then returned to Lebanon to continue his education. Back in Boston in 1903, he published his first essays in the Arab immigrant newspaper The Emigrant. At this time he met Mary Haskell, who was to be his sponsor. She provided him with financial support for the rest of his life. In 1912 he settled in New York City, where he devoted himself to writing essays and short stories in Arabic and English. His writings were highly romantic in outlook, dealing primarily with themes of love, nature, and a longing for his homeland. They are all reflective of his deeply religious and mystical outlook. Apart from 'The Prophet', published in 1923, his books in English include 'The Madman' (1918), 'The Forerunner' (1920), 'Sand and Foam' (1926), and 'Jesus, the Son of Man' (1928). Gibran died in New York City on April 10, 1931.
Most of us know Gibran either as a poet, or painter, or artist, or a great man of letters, or any one combination of them. But there is another interesting side to Gibran which is often and unjustly overlooked. Gibran was a social reformer who carried the national flag fearlessly and was not afraid to speak out in defense of basic reforms often at his own personal risks. Throughout his life, he showed particular concern in his country through various charitable organizations and societies he either founded or joined.So he is a great patriot too. By 1912 Gibran was thoroughly committed to his national ideals and his passion for Syria is captured in a private letter to Mary Haskell: "Poor Syria. Her children are nothing but poets. And though we sang as angels in her ear, she would not hear. Poor Syria!"

here is some quotations of Gibran Khalil Gibran:
I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers.
If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.
Knowledge of the self is the mother of all knowledge. So it is incumbent on me to know my self, to know it completely, to know its minutiae, its characteristics, its subtleties, and its very atoms.
The eye of a human being is a microscope, which makes the world seem bigger than it really is.
To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but at what he aspires to.
Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfful to seek other than itself.
Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They came through you but not from you and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
The obvious is that which is never seen until someone expresses it simply.
The most pitiful among men is he who turns his dreams into silver and gold.

here is the link to the full text of " The Prophet":
http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/propht.htm

link to his art works:
http://www.consciouslivingfoundation.org/photo_gallery.gibran.htm