The Prophet

Khalil Gibran (January 6, 1883- April 10, 1931) was a Lebanese author, philosopher, poet and artist. His poetry is notable for its use of formal language and insights on topics of life using spiritual terms. He emigrated to Boston, USA in 1895 with his mother Kamilah, younger sisters Mariana and Sultana and half-brother Peter (aka Butros). He studied art in Boston, and French and Arabic in Lebanon. The spelling "Kahlil Gibran" is the result of a suggestion by his English teacher that he Anglicise his name to make it more acceptable in society. Khalil Gibran grew up in the region of Bsharri in Lebanon. During his youth he did not receive any formal schooling since his family was poor, but he was visited regularly by priests who taught him about the Bible, the Syriac and Arabic languages. During his youth, his family's property was confiscated by the Ottoman authorities after Khalil Gibran's father was sent to prison for fraud and tax evasion. With no home, the Gibran family decided to follow Gibran's uncle and emigrate to the United States; they left for New York on June 25, 1895. Khalil Gibran's father had been released in 1894 but decided to stay in Lebanon.