Nizar Qabbani (1923–98) was born in Damascus, Syria, into a merchant family. He studied law at Damascus University and then entered the Syrian diplomatic service, where he served in embassies in Cairo, Ankara, Beirut, London, Beijing, and Madrid.

He retired in 1966, moved to Beirut and opened a publishing company. Qabbani was one of the most famous and influential poets of his time. He is known for his sensual and romantic poetry. He used poetry as a form of resistance to advocate for social freedoms for women and fused romantic themes with themes of political despair. Not only were his poems published, but they were popularized by Lebanese and Syrian singers who set his lyrics to music.