Green Book Cafe Poetry Studio

The greatest need in our personal lives is warmth and togetherness. The Green Book Cafe is a non-profit studio with an aim to heal America with new food and poetry developed from South Asian and the Middle Eastern traditions. Poetry can reveal and respect dynamic beauty in relationships. Food is intimate and offers fulfillment. Selecting the ingredients can be a spiritual experience. Food and poetry are tools that make our relationships rich.

Here is a list of our courses below. For more information please contact Joseph at 617-869-8326 or by email at joseph@greenbookcafe.com. Thank You!


Middle Eastern Food & Hospitality
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

Learn dishes from the middle east and beyond from Morocco to Persia. Discover contrasts that highlight the sensual experience of eating. And how their culture of eating promotes hospitality and togetherness.


Arabic Poetry: Nizar Qabbani
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

We will study the poem 'Epic of Saddness'.


Sounds of Arabic
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

Introduction to sounds of Arabic pronunciation and the range of emotional expression in Arabic. Each day you will be introduced to a new style of arabic music, including Andalucian, Rai, Classical, Moroccan, Fairuz, and Modern pop music.


Middle Eastern Percussion - Doumbek
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

An introduction to techniques on the Doumbek using three classical Middle Eastern rhythms.


Reading Arabic Calligraphy
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

Discover the beauty and splendor of arabic calligraphy. Decipher calligraphic images and learn the diverse history and styles of this spiritual art.


Discovering the Gift: Poetry of Persia
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

Mysticism, inspired by the raw essence of life's mystery, is rooted in impermanance and passion. Using the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz, we will discover, "What is The Gift in Sufism?".


Rabindranath Tagore: Bengali "Mishti?
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

As Bengal's most beloved poet and a nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore is an icon of devotion, affection, and the stillness of the aware and watchful lover. At the end of our last class we'll ask the question: Is there a universal message that binds the Sufi's passion with the devotion of Tagore?


The Wisdom of Kahlil Gibran
($90 course meets once a week for three weeks)

Analysis of three poems from Kahlil Gibran's most famous work, "The Prophet". How does Kahlil Gibran approach the human spirit?


Schedules & Signup

Evening times available in Williamsburg, NY and in Cambridge, MA. Please contact Joseph at joseph@greenbookcafe.com for more information.