GTEBORGS UNIVERSITET

Institutionen fr sprk och litteraturer

Moern !ra"ic #oetr$
! #rosoic !nal$sis of Three Moern !ra"ic #oe%s
Ma&isteruppsats i !ra"iska
VT '()(
*rfattare+ !nna ,ansson
-anleare+ Tet. Rooke
)
!"stract
The ai% of this paper is to anal$se an escri"e the for%al features of three %oern !ra"ic
poe%s/ 0ritten "$ three !ra"ic poets consiere representati1es for %oern !ra"ic poetr$+
Bar Shakir al2Sa$$a"/ !unis an Mah%ou 3ar0ish4 Earlier research in the area of
%oern !ra"ic poetr$ often concentrate on the the%atic features of the poetr$/ an there are
fe0 in2epth stuies of poe%s in their entiret$4 The anal$ses of the poe%s sho0 that the
con1entions associate 0ith traitional !ra"ic poetr$ 2 the s$%%etr$ of the t0o he%istichs/
the %ono%etre an the %onorh$%e 2 are lackin& in the %aterial4 The poe%s are
characteri.e "$ the use of hetero%etric lines/ irre&ular rh$%e sche%es an the use of a
sin&le t$pe of feet as a "asic prosoic unit instea of 0hole %etres4 The classical poe% 0as
of a rather paratacti1e nature/ 0here each line for%e a se%antic 5as 0ell as s$ntactic6 unit/
0hereas the %oern poe% sho0s %ore h$potactic features 0ith a e&ree of en7a%"%ent in
"oth %eanin& an s$nta8 o1er the one line4 The paper is conclue "$ statin& that althou&h
there are %an$ features that separate the %oern !ra"ic poe% fro% the con1entions of
classical !ra"ic poetr$/ there are still ele%ents that unite the t0o/ an the *ree Verse
Mo1e%ent i not entail a clean "reak fro% the con1entions of classical !ra"ic poetr$4
!nal$ses such as this can "e fruitful for instance in the area of translation4
'
Ta"le of contents pa&e
) Introuction
)4) #reface 9
)4' !i% :
)4; Theor$ an %etho :
)4;4) Metre <
)4;4' Rh$%e )(
)4= Material ))
)49 Earlier research );
' !nal$sis
'4) >al2nahr 0a al2%a0t> )9
'4)4) #unctuation )9
'4)4' Rh$%e sche%e )?
'4)4; Repetition ):
'4)4= !ress )@
'4)49 Metrical anal$sis )@
'4)4? Su%%ar$ )<
'4' >al27ur> '(
'4'4) #unctuation an aress '(
'4'4' Rh$%e sche%e ')
'4'4; En7a%"%ent ''
'4'4= Repetition ';
'4'49 Metrical anal$sis ';
'4'4? Su%%ar$ '=
'4; >lan Aa7arB> '9
'4;4) #unctuation '9
'4;4' Rh$%e sche%e '9
'4;4; Metrical anal$sis '?
'4;4= Repetition ':
'4;49 !ress '@
'4;4? Su%%ar$ '<
; 3iscussion an conclusion
;4) Moern 1s4 classical poetr$ ;(
;4' CineationDpunctuation ;(
;4; Rh$%es an repetition ;)
;4= Metrical structure ;;
;49 En7a%"%ent ;9
;4? Rh$th% ;?
;4: Eonclusion ;:
;
= Cist of references
=4) #ri%ar$ sources =(
=4' Seconar$ sources =(
=4; Unpu"lishe sources =(
9 !ppenices
94) >al2nahr 0a al2%a0t> =)
94' >al27ur> =;
94; >lan Aa7arB> =?
94= >al2nahr 0a al2%a0t> transcri"e an scanne =@
949 >al27ur> transcri"e an scanne =<
94? >lan Aa7arB> transcri"e an scanne 9'
94: F3eath an the Ri1er> 9=
94@ FThe Goun> 99
94< F! G$ps$ Melo$> 9@
=
1 Introduction
)4) #reface
The !ra"ic lan&ua&e is often calle the lan&ua&e of poets/ an !ra"s the%sel1es consier
poetr$ to "e the essence of !ra"ic 2 the i0an al2!ra" 5Enc$clopeia of !ra"ic Citerature/
)<<@+?(?64 This attitue to0ars the poetic literar$ &enre can "e e8plaine "$ consierin&
the literar$ herita&e that is "esto0e on the !ra"s4 The$ ha1e a stron& connection to
classical poets an e1en toa$ poetr$ is the %ost i%portant an %ost popular literar$
%eiu% in the !ra" 0orl/ an the literar$ %oe that F"est reflects their sense of self2
ientit$/ histor$ an cultural 1alues> 5!llen/ )<<@+'):64 Ghen !ra"ic poetr$ is %entione/
the classical qasda %a$ "e the first thin& that co%es in %in/ an the strictl$ structure
classical poe%s represent the hei&ht of the classical !ra"ic literature 50ith e8ception of the
Huran6/ as it has hel an Fackno0le&e an pri1ile&e position D444D throu&hout !ra"ic
histor$> 5Moreh/ )<:?+i864 The pre2Isla%ic poetr$/ 0ith its fi8e structure in the for% of
%etre an rh$%e/ hel an influence on the !ra"ic literature up until the '(
th
centur$4 3urin&
the so calle 3ark !&es !ra"ic poetr$/ as 0ell as literature in &eneral/ ca%e to a stan2still
0ith no ne0 influences reachin& the !ra" 0orl 2 a perio that 0as Fthe least proucti1e
perio> 5,a$$usi/ )<@@+)6 of the !ra"ic cultural histor$4 The %a7or political chan&es in the
!ra" 0orl of the )<
th
centur$ ha a &reat i%pact on the literature an its the%es as 0ell as
on its for%4
The perio urin& 0hich !ra"ic literature starte to e1elop a&ain is often calle al-
nahda 2 Frenaissance> an is con1entionall$ i1ie into three parts+ neo2classic/ ro%antic
an %oern 5eIoun&/ )<<@+)9)J Starke$/ '((?+='64 It is fro% the latter perio that the
%aterial for this paper is &athere4 !tte%pts to "reak free fro% the for% of the qasda 0ere
%ae alrea$ in the )<
th
centur$/ e4&4 in the for% of "lank 1erse/ "ut it 0as not until the
)<9(Ks an the poetic inno1ations of t0o IraLi poets that the M*ree Verse Mo1e%entN &aine
&roun4 Gith it the e8peri%entations of for% an content in poetr$ that ha "e&un '(( $ears
earlier ha finall$ starte to esta"lish as an accepte poetic for%/ an 0hat 0e toa$ call
%oern !ra"ic poetr$ 0as introuce4 This happene as a result of Fa ecae of re1olution
in the !ra" 0orl> 5!llen/ )<<@+')(6 in 0hich a part of the course of e1elop%ent 0as the
literar$ &enres4
KMoernK poetr$ is often connecte 0ith free 1erse/ as is the case also in %oern
!ra"ic poetr$4 There is a &ap "et0een the classical poe%s of I%ru al2Ha$s an his likes an
9
the %oern poetr$ of toa$ 2 the for%er is closel$ associate 0ith the ancient qasda an its
i1ision into t0o he%istichs/ the strict %etre follo0e throu&h in all 1erses of the poe% an
the %onorh$%e at the en of each line an the latter is &enerall$ associate 0ith co%plete
freeo% of all %etrical "ouns/ une1en lineation an the lack of repeate en2rh$%e4 The
e1elop%ent of the poe% fro% the classical for% to the i1erse for%s of conte%porar$
poetr$ has follo0e a course throu&h 1arious atte%pts to "reak free fro% the ol restraints4
The fluctuatin& perio urin& 0hich the %oernis% %o1e%ent in !ra"ic poetr$ e1elope
i1ie into the three su"i1isions %entione a"o1e reflects the e1elop%ent of poetic for%4
It has e1elope fro% the neo2classical poets 0ho still use the ancient for%s in their poetr$/
to the ro%antic poets 0ho 0ante ne0 %oes of e8pressions/ to the %oern poets 0ho are
presente partl$ in this paper4 In literature on %oern !ra"ic poetr$ the development of the
%oern poe% is usuall$ outline/ fro% so%e0hat for%all$ "oun to "ein& 0ritten in free
1erse4 There is also %uch focus on the the%atic e1elop%ent an the relationship "et0een
poetr$ an societ$4 -o0e1er/ there are fe0 in2epth anal$ses of the for% an structure of the
%oern poe%s 0ritten in free 1erse4 The for%al features of %oern !ra"ic poetr$ are thus
parts of an area 0hich is uner2stuie4
#oetr$ as an art for% uses 0ors an lan&ua&e not %erel$ to e8press %eanin& or
content/ "ut to s$%"oli.e %eanin& an content 5Ea&leton/ '((:+?<6 The point of ori&in of
the present paper is the assu%ption that the for% of a poe% can "e sai to "e eLuall$
i%portant as the content4 The essence of poetr$ is not so%ethin& a"o1e or "e$on the 0ors
on the pa&e/ "ut the 0ors the%sel1es in their o0n ri&ht an in co%"ination 0ith the other
le1els of te8t/ i4e4 the line/ stan.a an poe% as a 0hole4 The fact that poetr$ is an institution
that relies hea1il$ on sense an effect %oti1ates the stu$ of the actual lin&uistic si&ns that
create this effect/ since poetr$ %i&ht "e the one literar$ &enre 0here the sense is in the
closest connection to the lin&uistic for%4 The M%eanin&N of a poe% coul "e sai to be the
for%/ an for% is Fconstitutive of content an not 7ust a reflection of it> 5Ea&leton/ '((:+?:64
Because of this/ a close reain& of a poe% is prereLuisite for unerstanin& it/ an reain& a
poe% reLuires an unerstanin& of the structure4
I shall throu&h a prosoic anal$sis of three poe%s "$ poets consiere
representati1es for %oern !ra"ic poetr$ %ake an atte%pt at a escription of the for% of the
%oern !ra"ic poe%/ an its relation to the con1entions of classical !ra"ic poetr$4 The ter%
%oern is here use in its chronolo&ical sense/ an 0hen referrin& to %oern !ra"ic poetr$
it %eans that prouce after )<9(4 The anal$sis of the poe%s an the resultin& iscussion of
the for% an structure are not to "e taken as &enerali.ations a"out all %oern !ra"ic poetr$/
"ut %erel$ offer an insi&ht into a s%all 5"ut i%portant6 part of it4 The focal point of the paper
?
is the aesthetic ele%ents of the poe%s/ an features concernin& content/ iction/ i%a&er$ etc4
0ill onl$ "e "riefl$ co%%ente upon in relation to the for%al characteristics4 *urther%ore/
%uch can "e sai a"out the political or ieolo&ical nature of %oern !ra"ic poetr$/ for
instance its role in presentin& resistance to the colonialis% 5eIoun& )<<@+)?)6/ "ut this
aspect is not co%prise in the scope of the present paper4
)4' !i%
The ai% of this paper is to present a prosoic anal$sis an escription of three poe%s "$
three !ra"ic poets consiere representati1es for %oern !ra"ic poetr$4 *or% here refers to
the features of the poe%s that concern their internal structure an their arran&e%ent on the
pa&e/ 0hich inclues the s$ste% of 0ors an their s$nta&%atic relationships/ 5i4e4 s$nta864
Eo%%ents 0ill "e %ae on lineation/ rh$%e/ feet/ %etre an rhetorical fi&ures "ase on the
0or 5as oppose to fi&ures "ase on %eanin&64 The follo0in& Luestions 0ere use as
&uielines in the 0ork of the paper+
-o0 is the poe% presente on the pa&eO 5Ghat oes the lineation look likeO6
Ghat oes the rh$%e look likeO
-o0 is the rh$%e arran&e in the poe%/ an 0hat effect oes this ha1eO
Ghat oes the %etricalDs$lla"ic structure of the poe%s look likeO
Ghat other for%al features are o%inant in the poe%sO
Ghat rhetorical fi&ures "ase on the 0or can "e foun in the poe%sO
Ghat features of the poe%s are t$picall$ %oern as oppose to classical !ra"ic poetr$O
)4; Theor$ an %etho
The theoretical fra%e0ork use in the stu$ is taken fro% the fiel of literar$ stuies/ %ore
precisel$ the area of literar$ anal$sis4 This area can rou&hl$ "e sai to use a her%eneutic
approach 0hich is a %etho of in1esti&ation that entails an interpretation of a te8t fro% its
etails to its 0hole/ an fro% its 0hole to its s%allest parts4 It is e1ient that the nature of
this approach is Lualitati1e rather than Luantitati1e an the approach is interpretati1e in its
&oal to e8plain 5or escri"e6 literar$ te8ts 5or 0orks64 Thou&h the fiel of literar$ stuies is
0ie an its traition lon& one fi8e esta"lishe %etho of poetr$ anal$sis oes not e8ist4
This coul 0ell "e "ecause of the fluctuatin& nature of the poetic &enre 0hich entails
refor%ulatin& the %etho 0ith e1er$ ini1iual poe% anal$se/ as 0ell as it reLuires fantas$
:
an in1enti1eness on part of the anal$ser4 The practice of literar$ criticis% oes not eLual
literar$ in2epth anal$sis on a lin&uistic "asis/ "oth fiels ha1in& ifferent %ethos an
o"7ecti1es4 The t0o areas o ho0e1er share a %a7or part of ter%inolo&$/ such as iction/
s$nta8/ structure etc4
Ghen focusin& on the for%al features of poetr$ the &eneral %etho of in1esti&ation
is the prosoic anal$sis 0hich inclues the features of lineation/ rh$%e/ %etre an rh$th%4
The ter% form an formal here is taken in the %eanin& of outer or&ani.ation of a te8t or
poe%/ an the ter% structure in the %eanin& of the inner or&ani.ation/ often 0ith reference
to its parts an their reciprocal relationships4 The structure of a poe% is thus part of its for%/
0hile the for% of a poe% oes not auto%aticall$ &i1e it structure4 *urther%ore/ the notion of
structure oes not o"li&ate re&ularit$ since a poe% %a$ "e structural 0ithout ispla$in& an$
re&ular or "alance characteristics4
Ter%s/ anal$tical an %ethoolo&ical/ rele1ant to the anal$sis of the poe%s are
pri%aril$ taken fro% The Poetry Handbook 5Cennar/ '((?6 0hich presents &uiance in the
process of anal$sin& poetr$4 The han"ook is "ase on En&lish poetr$ an e8e%plifies solel$
fro% its histor$/ "ut the ter%s are ho0e1er &eneral an applica"le in anal$sin& poetr$ in an$
lan&ua&e4 The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms 5'((@6 has a si%ilar !n&lo2Sa8on "ase/
"ut its approach of "ein& an essential reference "ook for literar$ ter%s in an$ lan&ua&e
efens its use in this conte8t4 The ke$ ter%s rele1ant for the stu$ are+
enjambment+ the practice of carr$in& o1er of sense an &ra%%atical structure o1er the
len&th of the line 0ithout a punctuate pause/ as oppose to en2stoppe lines 0here each
line for% a s$ntactic unit close "$ a full stop4 En7a%"%ent 0as not in practice in classical
!ra"ic poetr$/ 0here each line for%e a s$ntactic unit close "$ a full2stop4
foot+ a &roup of s$lla"les that for% a prosoic unit re&arless of 0or "ounaries4
lineation+ Fthe or&anisation of a poe% into lines> 5Cennar/ '((?+)(;6/ i4e4 the arran&e%ent
of lines on the pa&e/ incluin& the i1ision of a poe% into stan.as or 1erses4
metre+ the pattern of repeate soun2units in the line of a poe%4 In !ra"ic the soun2units
are "ase on Luantit$/ i4e4 lon& an short s$lla"les4 The anal$sis of %etrical pattern is calle
scansion4
rhyme+ the ientit$ of soun in s$lla"les or 0ors usuall$ at the en of a line4 The pattern of
repeate rh$%es is calle rhyme scheme4
@
)4;4) Metre
Rh$th% in !ra"ic 1erse is Luantitati1e/ i4e4 %ae up of the chan&in& of lon& an short
s$lla"les 5as oppose to for instance En&lish poetr$ 0hich is Lualitati1e i4e4 "ase on the
chan&in& of stresse an unstresse s$lla"les64 The s$lla"le/ either lon& 5P6 or short 56/ is
the "asic unit of the %etrical s$ste% in !ra"ic/ an co%"inations of s$lla"les %ake up a foot
0hich further co%"ines into %etres that are constitute of Fa certain collocation of feet>
5Gri&ht )<<?+;9@64 ! i%eter is a line 0here the foot is repeate t0ice/ a tri%eter 0here the
foot is repeate thrice 5further%ore/ a line 0here the foot is repeate four ti%es is calle a
tetra%eter/ "ut the occurrence of this %etrical t$pe is scarce in the present %aterial64 The
short s$lla"le in !ra"ic poetr$ is a consonant 5E6 follo0e "$ a short 1o0el 516/ 0hile the
lon& s$lla"le is an$ of the follo0in&+ EV/ E Q iphthon&/ E1E/ EVE or E Q iphthon& Q E
5Rets/ '(('+)@6/ 0here capital V represents a lon& 1o0el4
Gri&ht classifies the %etrical s$ste% use in classical !ra"ic poetr$ as consistin& of
)? ifferent %etres 5accorin& to the %etrical theor$ of al28alBl i"n a%a 0ho efine )9
%etres/ 0ith the aition of a si8teenth %etre "$ al2a8fRS6/ na%el$+ al-raa!/ al-sar"/ al-
k#mil/ al-$#fir/ al-haa!/ al-mutaq#rib/ al-a$l/ al-mud#ri"/ al-mutad#rik/ al-bas/ al-
munsari/ al-muqtadab/ al-ramal/ al-madd/ al-xaff an lastl$ al-muta. Gri&ht structures
the %etres accorin& to classifications taken fro% the Greek %etrical s$ste%4 The first four
%etres a"o1e are hence accorin& to Gri&htKs efinition >ia%"ic> 5)<<?+;?)6/ i4e4 %ae up
of ifferent co%"inations of the feet calle iamb4 The re%ainin& )' %etres are further
escri"e an &roupe accorin& to their inherent structure/ "ut this 0ill not "e e8plaine
further here/ since the ia%"ic rh$th% is the %ost freLuent in the %aterial4 The ia%" is
further%ore the %ost co%%on ele%ent in all !ra"ic %etres/ a pheno%enon 0hich is
reflecte in !ra"ic %orpholo&$ 0here %ost %orpholo&ical patterns are "uilt up of a short
s$lla"le follo0e "$ a lon& 5Rets/ '(('+':64
!lso in The %ncyclopedia of &rabic Literature 5)<<@6 the %etres are structure an
arran&e accorin& to al28alBlKs theor$ of 1ersification/ "ut the authors e8pan the
escription of Fthe plethora of !ra"ic %etrical ata> 5)<<@+?'(6 0ith al28alBlKs
characteri.ation of fi1e %etrical circles 2 a practice also aopte "$ Rets 5'(('64 The "asic
units of the circles 5an of the anal$sis of %etres6 are the $atid mam'" 5 P6 an the sabab
xaff 5P6 0here the first is fi8e an the latter 1aria"le in the %etres4 The fi1e circles are "uilt
up of ifferent co%"inations of these t0o units/ an epenin& on 0here in the %etrical
<
circle one starts countin&/ the units of each circle can "e co%"ine into three of four
ifferent %etres4 -o0e1er/ the possi"ilities for co%"inin& the feet into ifferent %etres are
not e8hausti1e 5cf4 Rets/ '(('+'?64
)
)4;4' Rh$%e
The nature of classical !ra"ic poetr$ is "asicall$ t0o2fol 5Starke$/ '((?+:<6/ characteri.e
"$ the a"iin& to strict %etrical rules an the aherence of a fi8e rh$%e sche%e4 The
ientification of rh$%es in the anal$sis is "ase upon Gri&hts classification of the rh$%e
0or4 Rh$%in& 0ors that are foun insie the lines of a poe% are consiere st$listic
e1ices/ to&ether 0ith sonorous effects such as assonance an alliteration4 The Fessential
part> 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+)<=6 of the rh$%e in !ra"ic poetr$ is the final letter of the 0or in
rh$%e position an is calle al-r$ 0hich in classical !ra"ic poetr$ ha to "e one an the
sa%e throu&hout the poe%/ thus %akin& it %ono2rh$%e 5%ncyclopedia of &rabic
Literature/ )<<@+?'(64 The rh$%e/ as efine "$ Gri&ht/ can onl$ en in a consonantJ the
se%i21o0els alif/ $$ an y# can "e e%plo$e in final position of a rh$%e onl$ 0hen the$
are use as consonants/ or 0hen the$ are prolon&e short 1o0els 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;9'64 !
rh$%e 0hich ens in a consonant is calle a muqayyada2rh$%e 5e4&4 al-maarDal-(aar6/
0hereas a rh$%e 0hich ens in a 5prolon&e6 1o0el/ or the letter h#/ is calle a mulaqa2
rh$%e 5e4&4 arqahDa!rah6 5%ncyclopedia of &rabic Literature) )<<@+?'(64 3epenin& on
0hat letter precees the rh$%e2consonant/ the rh$%e is further classifie as either
muassassa) murdafa or muarrada 5I"i464 In the first t$pe the r#$ is precee "$ a
prolon&e alif calle al-taass) an separate fro% it "$ a consonant calle al-daxl 5e4&4
$#i*m#li64 In the secon t$pe the r#$ is i%%eiatel$ precee "$ a lon& 1o0el calle
al-ridf 5e4&4 al-us'r*al-ub'r64 Castl$/ in the thir t$pe the r#$ is precee "$ neither
taass nor ridf/ %akin& it muarrada 5e4&4 al-qabr*al-abr64 These precein& letters are also
consiere Fnecessar$ portions> 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;9;6 of the rh$%e in traitional !ra"ic
poetics4 There are further classifications an ter%inolo&$ concernin& the rh$%e 0or/ "ut
the$ are not e%plo$e in the stu$ an therefore not further escri"e here4
)
! co%plete o1er1ie0 of the ifferent co%"inations of the !ra"ic %etres can "e foun in The %ncyclopedia of
&rabic Literature p4 ?') 5)<<@64
)(
In the anal$sis of the poe%s/ "oth the theoretical aspects fro% the area of literar$
stuies pri%aril$ taken fro% The Poetry Handbook) an Gri&htKs classification of the %etre
an rh$%e ha1e "een use4 Gri&htNs classifications are "ase upon the %etres of classical
!ra"ic poetr$/ "ut the$ are helpful in anal$sin& the structure of %oern poetr$ as consistin&
of lines "uilt up of feet/ e1en 0hen the feet o not co%"ine into a certain %etre4 The %etho
of in1esti&ation is Lualitati1e in its approach an hence the results are pri%aril$ intene to
"e taken as interpretations an not &enerali.ations4 Gri&htNs &ra%%ar is further%ore use for
an$ reference to the &ra%%ar of the !ra"ic lan&ua&e/ such as for%s of the 1er"/
con7u&ations/ pausal reain& etc4
)4= Material
The three poe%s that %ake up the %aterial for this stu$ are 0ritten "$ three ifferent !ra"
poets 0ho all ha1e the epithet K%oernK in co%%on4 !ll three poets Bar Shakir al2Sa$$a"/
!unis an Mah%ou 3ar0ish are consiere representati1es for %oern !ra"ic poetr$/
%ore specificall$ for the thir an last perio of the poetic renaissance4 The poe%s 0ere
chosen fro% the criterion that the$ shoul "e lon&er than '( lines for the si%ple reason that
it facilitates finin& repeate for%al features in lon&er poe%s4 The poe%s chosen as the
%aterial for the stu$ are all 0ritten "efore )<@(/ thus "ein& %ore than ;( $ears ol 0hich
%eans that the poe%s are not conte%porar$ "ut still %oern4 The reason for not choosin&
poetr$ fro% the present ecae 5or centur$6 0as %oti1ate "$ the 0ish to use poe%s "$
esta"lishe an ackno0le&e %oern !ra" poets4 The perio fro% 0hich the poe%s are
taken is also interestin& as it represents an i%portant sta&e in the e1elop%ent of a %ore free
poetic traition4
The first poe% in the %aterial is 0ritten "$ the poet Bar Shakir al2Sa$$a"
5)<'?2?=6/ 0ho 0as "orn in ,a$kur/ a s%all 1illa&e in the south of IraL4 -e eucate to "e a
teacher an 0orke as one/ as 0ell as in 7ournalis% an as ci1il ser1ant for so%e $ears
"efore en&a&in& politicall$ in the nationalist part$/ 0hich le to persecution an e1entuall$
self2e8ile in Iran an Tu0ait 5Starke$/ '((?+@)64 To&ether 0ith his fello0 countr$0o%an
Na.ik al2Malaika/ the poet 0as o%inant in the introuction of ne0 poetic techniLues in
!ra"ic poetr$/ an the "oth of the% are consiere the fi&ure2hea of the *ree Verse
Mo1e%ent as it appeare in IraL urin& the )<9(Ks4 This introuction 0as precee "$ %ore
or less unsuccessful e8peri%entations in poetic for% "$ other poets/ "ut it took a Fpoet of
&enius> 5Moreh/ )<:?+)<96 to thorou&hl$ esta"lish Fthe rules for the ne0 &enre> 5I"i464 al2
Sa$$a" is consiere Fthe first unisputel$ &reat %oern !ra" poet> 5!llen/ )<<@+')=64
))
-a1in& suffere for so%e $ears inflicte 0ith the isease !CS/ al2Sa$$a" ie pre%aturel$
at the a&e of ;@4 In his later poetr$/ the poet often use %$thical ele%ents of i%a&er$/ an
the the%e of 0ater an the ri1er Bu0a$" of his ho%e2to0n ,a$kur are recurrin& %otifs in his
0orks/ as is Fthe%es of faith/ sacrifice/ eath an resurrection> 5Starke$/ '((?+@;64 The
poe% >al2nahr 0a al2%a0t> 0as pu"lishe )<?; in the collection a!h#r $a as#tr4
Eonte%porar$ 0ith al2Sa$$a"/ the poet kno0n uner the pen2na%e !unis 5RlB
a%a saB/ )<;(2 6 0as "orn in Catakia/ S$ria4 -e 0as eucate "$ his father in classical
!ra"ic literature/ an later stuie in 3a%ascus/ Beirut an #aris4 -a1in& "een re7ecte
uner his real na%e/ he took the pen na%e !unis an has kept it throu&hout his career4
!unis is toa$ consiere one of the %ost influential persons in %oern !ra"ic literature/
an >one of the %ost i%portant !ra" poets of the t0entieth centur$> 5Starke$/ '((?+@964 Not
onl$ influential as a poet/ !unis has also "een strient in literature critiLue an philosoph$
as 0ell as translation/ "ein& Fso%ethin& of an iconoclast> 5,a$$usi/ )<@@+);:64 -is poe%
>al27ur> 0as pu"lishe in an ini1iual i0an as 0ell as in the "ilin&ual poetr$ antholo&$
+ictims of a ,ap 5)<@=6/ 0here !unis to&ether 0ith Mah%ou 3ar0ish an Sa%ih al2
Hasi% are presente 0ith a nu%"er of poe%s in !ra"ic an En&lish translation4
Mah%ou 3ar0ish 5)<=)2'((@6 is the $oun&est poet of the three/ an 0as "orn in
Bar0a/ a #alestinian 1illa&e near !cre4 -is fa%il$ ha to lea1e his nati1e countr$ as a result
of the tur%oil of )<=:/ "ut later returne an 3ar0ish &re0 up in the !cre area that ha then
"eco%e Israelian4 -e eucate in "oth Mosco0 an E&$pt/ an 0orke as an eitor of
ifferent literar$ %a&a.ines4 3ar0ish 0as also politicall$ en&a&e as a %e%"er of the Israeli
Eo%%unist #art$/ 0hich e1entuall$ %ae hi% &o into e8ile in Beirut an later #aris
5,a$$usi/ )<@@+'((64 -e pu"lishe o1er ten collections of poetr$ an ei&ht 0orks of prose/
"ein& cele"rate as the national poet of #alestine4 3ar0ishKs poe% Flan a7ar> 0as first
pu"lishe )<@= in the "ilin&ual collection +ictims of a ,ap %entione a"o1e/ an later in an
ini1iual collection of poetr$.
There is an o"1ious li%itation in the %aterial as all three poets are %en4 The selection
of poets 0as not &ener2"iase/ "ut ri1en pri%aril$ "$ the ai% of finin& representati1es of
%oern !ra"ic poetr$4 Ghile not sa$in& that there are no fe%ale poets/ the choice of the
present poets reflects the canon of %oern !ra"ic poetr$ urin& the 9( $ears since the *ree
Verse Mo1e%ent4 The choice of al2Sa$$a" o1er al2Malaika/ "oth poets seen as the
pioneerin& force responsi"le for esta"lishin& the *ree Verse Mo1e%ent/ 0as %oti1ate "$
the fact that al2Sa$$a" is consiere to ha1e ha >the &reater influence of the t0o> 5Starke$/
)'
'((?+@'64 The &eo&raphical sprea is "etter/ 3ar0ish "ein& #alestinian/ !unis S$rian an
al2Sa$$a" IraLi/ "ut a&ain this oes not reflect on the presence of %oern poets in the !ra"
0orl4
)49 Earlier research
In earlier research a"out %oern !ra"ic poetr$ the focus has "een on the development fro%
classical poetr$ to the %oernist %o1e%ent an the poetic acti1it$ in the !ra" 0orl in the
secon half of the )<
th
centur$4 The poetic e1elop%ent of the '(
th
centur$ has "een
ocu%ente/ an the ne0 the%atic features of poetr$ %uch anal$se4 There is a
preponerance of focus on the features of content/ as oppose to the features of for%/ in all
earlier research foun4
'
This coul 0ell "e "ecause the fluctuation perio urin& 0hich the
%oernist %o1e%ent esta"lishe 0as a perio of &reat tur%oil in the societ$/ an poets
foun the%sel1es challen&e 0ith ne0 concepts of "oth the 0orl an the self4 This lea to a
rich 0ell of ne0 poetic 1oices/ &rateful for stu$4 The research on the e1elop%ent of the
poetic lan&ua&e is often fra&%entar$/ concentratin& on one feature/ or one perio/ 0ith
e8a%ples taken fro% a ran&e of poets an poe%s4 Ghile focusin& on the ifferentiatin&
features of %oern !ra"ic poetr$/ the features that the %oern poe% has in co%%on 0ith the
classical poe% %a$ ha1e "een sie2steppe4
Sh%uel MorehKs ,odern &rabic Poetry -.//--01/ 5)<:?6 is a issertation a"out
%oern !ra"ic poetr$/ an the "ook escri"es the e1elop%ent of this poetr$ "$ tracin& the
steps precein& it in the histor$ of !ra"ic literature4 In the "ook Moreh outlines this
e1elop%ent "$ escri"in& it throu&h three sta&es+ strophic 1erse/ "lank 1erse an free 1erse4
The "ook focuses on >the for% of !ra"ic poetr$> 5Moreh/ )<:?+:6 an its e1elop%ent fro%
the "e&innin& of the )<
th
centur$ to the )<?(Ks4 *or this in1esti&ation/ the last chapter of
MorehKs "ook/ the one concernin& free 1erse/ has "een a rele1ant reference source4 The
author perfor%s so%e structural anal$ses of %oern poe%s/ 0ith co%%ents pri%aril$ on
feet an %etre/ si%ilar to the anal$ses of the present paper4 Moreh also atte%pts Fto escri"e
the characteristics of ir urr fro% the point of 1ie0 of for% an content> 5)<:?+')@6/ of
0hich the for%er feature is topical for this paper4
The section a"out %oern poetr$ in Ro&er !llenKs The &rabic Literary Herita2e
5)<<@6 concentrates on the ifferences "et0een classical an %oern !ra"ic poetr$4 In the
"ook/ !llen outlines the e1elop%ent an &raual chan&e in "oth the%e an structure of
!ra"ic poetr$/ "ut focuses in the section in Luestion on the features that are t$picall$
'
See for instance ,a$$usi )<:: an Moreh )<:?4
);
F%oern> as oppose to FclassicalDtraitional>4 -o0e1er/ !llenKs focal point is
preo%inantl$ the the%es an i%a&er$ of %oern poetr$ an the situation in 0hich %oern
poetr$ e1elope as re&ars to chan&es in the societ$ an culture4 !llen also escri"es the
ifferent trens in the e8peri%ental poetr$ leain& up to the %oern poetr$ as it is
represente in the %aterial in this paper/ "$ characteri.in& the trens in cate&ories such as
the Ro%antic poets/ the S$%"olist poets/ the mahar2poets etc4 The "ook also inclues a
section on Frh$%e an %etre> 0here !llen outlines the traitional s$ste% of %etrical
structure/ an further%ore the ifferent %etres as the$ 0ere applie in e8a%ples of classical
poe%s4 !s the title su&&est/ !llen concentrates on the literar$ herita&e an hence the
traitions that co%es 0ith this herita&e/ an not on the conseLuences as the$ are concretel$
reali.e in %oern !ra"ic poetr$4
Terri eIoun&Ks "ook on Bar Shakir al2Sa$$a" an his poetr$ Placin2 the Poet
5)<<<6 pro1ies a thorou&h %appin& of the poetKs life an 0ork/ focusin& on the%es an
recurrin& %otifs in his life 0ork4 The "ook ai%s at %akin& a1aila"le a %a7or !ra" poet to
Gestern reaership an presentin& his 0ork "oth in the aspect of Fits co%ple8it$/ as 0ell as
its e1elop%ent o1er ti%e> 5eIoun&/ )<<@+1iii64 !lthou&h the %ain topic of eIoun&Ks
stu$ is al2Sa$$a"/ the "ook pro1ies a thorou&h presentation of the e1elop%ent of %oern
!ra"ic poetr$ an the literar$ cli%ate in 0hich it e1ol1e/ hence the cli%ate in 0hich the
other t0o poets !unis an 3ar0ish 0ere acti1e4 -o0e1er/ a&ain the focal point is the
en1iron%ent in 0hich the poetr$ e1ol1e/ an the the%es of poetr$ an their relationship to
this conte8t4
Sal%a Thara ,a$$usiKs ,odern &rabic poetry 2 an antholo2y 5)<@@6 inclues an
introuction in 0hich the author escri"es the for%al e1elop%ent of %oern !ra"ic poetr$4
! eeper anal$sis an a %ore thorou&h presentation of this literar$ e1elop%ent can "e
foun in ,a$$usiKs Trends and ,ovements in ,odern &rabic Poetry in t0o 1olu%es/ of
0hich the secon contains a chapter on Fthe achie1e%ents of the Ne0 #oetr$> 5)<::+1i6
incluin& a section on for%al features4 -ere/ the author escri"es the chan&es in %etrical
practices/ 0ith etaile anal$sis of feet an 1ariations of the%/ 0ith e8a%ples of e8cerpts
fro% a nu%"er of %oern poets4 This "ook ho0e1er 0as pu"lishe in )<::/ an the
perspecti1e is thus narro0/ an the anal$ses are further%ore concernin& onl$ parts of poe%s4
Ghereas %an$ "ooks touch upon the su"7ect of the for% of %oern !ra"ic poetr$/
there are fe0 in2epth anal$ses of poe%s in their entiret$4 *urther%ore/ the focal point of the
%a7orit$ of stuies foun is the feature of content an i%a&er$/ an ho0 this connects to the
ti%e in 0hich the poe%s 0ere co%pose4 In this paper focus lies on the for%al features/ an
the internal structure of the poe%s in their entiret$4
)=
2 Analysis
'4) >al2nahr 0a2l2%a0t>
The poe% Fal2nahr 0a al2%a0t> is taken fro% Bar Shakir al2Sa$$a"Ks i0an na%e a!hr
$a astr fro% )<?;/ 0hich is a%on& the last collections of poetr$ "$ the poet4 The title of
the i0an P 3lo$ers and ,yths 2 su&&ests the the%e aroun 0hich the poetr$ centres/ so too
in the present poe% 0here the ri1er Bu0a$" is preconi.e in a su&&esti1e epiction of
nature an eath4 The poe% is "uilt up of 9) lines of une1en len&th/ the lon&est lines
consistin& of )9 s$lla"les an the shortest of ' s$lla"les4 The first ;= lines for% one section
introuce "$ the !ra"ic nu%eral )/ 0hereas the re%ainin& ): lines for% another section
introuce "$ the nu%eral '4 There is no further i1ision in the lineation of the poe%/ "ut
there are se1eral intersections "et0een an in the %ile of lines in the for% of punctuation
%arks/ such as e8cla%ation an Luestion %arks as 0ell as co%%as an ellipses 5three ots64
The stan.as are further%ore isolate in the la$out "$ the use of "lank space "et0een the t0o
para&raphs4 The for% an la$out of the poe% thus separates it i%%eiatel$ fro% the
traitional structure of the s$%%etrical qasda 5see appeni8 94)/ p4=)64
'4)4) #unctuation
In the first stan.a of the poe% there are se1eral clauses o1erriin& the len&th of the line/
clauses that are instea separate "$ the use of ifferent punctuation %arks4 In the "e&innin&
of the poe% there are fe0 punctuation %arks+ follo0in& the first t0o lines enin& in ellipses/
ei&ht lines run on "efore "ein& close "$ a full stop4 This para&raph is su"seLuentl$
follo0e "$ an increase in the use of punctuation %arks/ in the for% of Luestions %arks/
ashes/ co%%as an e8cla%ation %arks4 The increase use of punctuation %arks in lines ';
to ;= helps increase the rh$th% of the poe%/ an the ifferent t$pes of punctuation 5Luestion
%arks in lines ';/ '= an '?/ ellipses in lines ': an ;=/ co%%as in lines ;) an ;;/
e8cla%ation %ark in line ;'6 creates an increase tension in these ele1en lines4 The ellipse at
the en of the stan.a points for0ar to the succeein& one/ a connection 0hich is
further%ore create "$ the repetition of the last 0or in line ;=/ 4u$ayb/ in the first line of
the secon stan.a4 In contrast to the "roken punctuation structure of the first stan.a/ the ):
lines of the secon stan.a consist of onl$ four sentences each close "$ a full2stop4 The
)9
clauses of this stan.a are prolon&e an stretche out "$ the use of ashes/ colon an
co%%as/ in contrast to the precein& stan.a 0here the occurrence of Fhea1$> 5Cennar/
'((?+))?6 punctuation %arks accelerates the rh$th%4 In contrast to the lin&erin& an
continuous ellipse of the final line in the first stan.a/ the last line of the secon stan.a ens
in an e8cla%ation %ark/ &i1in& finalit$ not onl$ to the line or stan.a "ut to the 0hole poe%4
'4)4' Rh$%e sche%e
Ghile there is no re&ular rh$%e sche%e in the poe% one can iscern a pattern in the en2
rh$%es/ 0here all en2rh$%in& 0ors are of the rh$%e2t$pe muqayyada/ i4e4 enin& in a
close consonant 5see appeni8 94=/ p4=@ for the rh$%e sche%e of the poe%64 So%e are
muqayyada murdafa/ i4e4 ha1in& a lon& 1o0el i%%eiatel$ "efore the r0B 5'9 rh$%e
0ors6 an the other %u7arraa/ i4e4 "ein& precee "$ a short 1o0el in the penulti%ate
position 5'? rh$%e 0ors64 If not countin& the na%e 4u$ayb as a rh$%e t$pe/ the poe% has
alto&ether si8 ifferent rh$%es that are repeate 0ith so%e re&ularit$ throu&hout the poe%+
the muqayyada murdafa 2Bn/ 2R%/ 2Ur/ 2Rl/ PRr/ an the muqayyada muarrada 2ar4 The r#$ is
the consonant r# in %ore than half of the rh$%es/ an 0hen consierin& that the consonant
l#m "elon&s to the sa%e cate&or$ as r# in a lin&uistic sense/ "oth of the% sharin& the sa%e
articulator$ characteristic of 1oice liLuis/ a pattern e%er&es in the choice of rh$%e 0ors4
This pattern is also corro"orate "$ the fact that the re%ainin& rh$%e consonants mm an
n'n also are of the ientical lin&uistic cate&or$ of 1oice nasals4 The lin&uistic ientit$ of
the consonant souns in the en2rh$%es creates a sonorous unit$ throu&hout the lines of the
poe%4 Both liLuis an nasals are souns that are in close appro8i%ation to the 1o0el soun/
the liLuis in their floatin& nature an the nasals throu&h their uno"structe air passa&e
throu&h the nose4 This rich sonorous ientit$ e8presse throu&h the en2rh$%in& 0ors
&i1es the poe% a sense of unit$4 The floatin& characteristic of the consonant souns in the
poe% also as to the the%e of 0ater/ to&ether 0ith the in1ocation of 4u$ayb an the
repetition of 0ors connecte to the ele%ent of 0ater4
*urther%ore the en2rh$%es help the te%po of the poe%/ as the rh$%es 5ientical or
full6 points alternatel$ for0ar/ acceleratin& the te%po/ an "ack0ars/ slo0in& it o0n
5Cennar/ '((?+)<:64 *or instance/ the a2 an "2rh$%e of the poe% coul "e seen as
accelerators in their continuous repetition throu&hout the poe%4 One can also notice that the
rh$%e 0ors are often repeate in pairs or lar&er clusters/ either to&ether 5as in line )29+
aa"""6 or cross2rh$%e 5as in lines =@29)+ "&"&64 There are also instances of chias%ic
)?
rh$%es/ e4&4 in line )?2)< 0here the rh$%e consonants r an l rh$%e in a %irror s$%%etr$
of "ff"4 Most of the lines ho0e1er are of the t$pe sin&le rh$%e/ i4e4 0ith onl$ one pair of
rh$%in& lines 5Cennar/ '((?+@(64
'4)4; Repetition
Since '@ of the lines in the poe% en in ientical rh$%es/ i4e4 0ors that are repeate
1er"ati% in line final position/ one coul ar&ue that the st$listic e1ice is not so %uch
rh$%in& as repetition4 The re%ainin& '; rh$%e properl$ so%e0here in the poe% 0ith
e8ception for the 0or nahr 5assu%in& this 0or is 1ocali.e accorin& to stanar
ortho&raph$/ other0ise it rh$%es 0ith other 0ors enin& in Par/ e4&4 maar64 Incluin&
4u$ayb ten rh$%e 0ors are repeate at least once an out of the poe%Ks 9) lines/ there is
onl$ one 0or in final position that oes not rh$%e/ na%el$ line '; an the 0or nahr4 This
0or can "e foun onl$ once %ore in the poe%/ in the %ile of line )( an in the title of
the poe%4
The noun is also i%plie in the in1ocation of 4u$ayb/ 0hich is the ri1er in the poetKs
ho%e to0n ,a$kur4 The in1ocation 5y6 4u$ayb is repeate se1en ti%es in the poe%/ si8
ti%es in the first stan.a 5lines )/ '/ :/ </ ': an ;=6 an onl$ once in the secon stan.a 5line
;964 This repetition coul "e seen as a refrain of the poe%/ a phrase that Fhelps to or&ani.e
the poe%/ to e%phasi.e the %ain the%e> 5Moreh/ )<:?+;''64 The istinction of the 0or
nahr as stanin& unrh$%e in the poe% unerlines the use of the 0or/ as connecte to the
title as 0ell as the the%e of the poe% 5a&ain/ this is "ase on the assu%ption that the 0or is
1ocali.e in this fashion64 Cennar 0rites that the connecti1e feature of the en2rh$%e is
further enhance Fif lineation an la$out are su"tracte> 5'((?+)@<6/ an the repetition of
si%ilar souns help For&anise the relation of 0ors> 5I"i464 Since the lineation of this poe%
is irre&ular the unit$ of soun an repetition create in part "$ the en2rh$%es constitutes
the "ack2"one of the poe%4
The lines are also interconnecte throu&h the repetition of 0ors in succeein& lines/
"oth in the repetition of rh$%e 0ors/ an in the repetition of 0ors insie lines4 So%e
e8a%ples of this are the 0or ar#s in the thir line is repeate in line 9 an line =;/ the
0or al-ar#r in line = that is repeate in the ne8t line/ "oth repetitions contri"utin& to the
cohesion of these lines4 al-asm#k of line )< is %irrore in al-samak of line '=/ qar#ra in the
first line of the poe% recurs in line ') in the for% al-qar#r an in line ;@ in the for%
astaqarru4 This practice of usin& Ft0o ter%s VthatW are t0o ifferent eri1ati1es of the sa%e
):
root> 5%ncyclopedia of &rabic Literature/ )<<@+??(6 is calle i(tiq#q an is a kin of
parono%asia/ Fpossi"l$ the %ost popular rhetorical fi&ure> 5I"i464 The repetition of 0ors
5"oth 1er"ati% an 0ors constructe fro% the sa%e root6 as to the the%e of the poe%/ as
it is 0ors connecte to the central the%e of the poe% that are repeate 5F0ater>/ F7ar>/
Ffish>/ Fepth> etc64 There is also repetition of phrases/ such as a$addu la$ in co%"ination
0ith a 1er" in the perfect tense in the first person sin&ular in line )) that is repeate in line
)9/ '(/ '@ an =:4 This phrase &ains %o%entu% 0ith each repetition/ "uilin& up the first
personNs 0ish an at the sa%e ti%e unerlines the inco%pletion of it as it repeats4 There are
also repetitions of 0hole lines/ such as fayadlahimmu f dam ann 0hich is repeate in @
an ==/ ain& to the esperation of the e8cla%ation 0ith each repetition4
'4)4; !ress
The poe%Ks first person aresses the ri1er 4u$ayb throu&hout the poe%/ alternatel$ in
irect aress 5lines )/ '/ :/ </ ':/ ;=/ ;96/ in connection to the noun nahr 0ith the affi8e
pronoun in first person sin&ular 2 5line )(6/ 0ith the affi8e pronoun in the secon person
sin&ular 2ka 5lines </ )=/ ):/ '(/ ')/ '@/ ;'/ ;=6 or the unfi8e personal pronoun in the
secon person sin&ular anta 5lines ';/ ':64 This aress of pronouns can onl$ "e foun in
the first stan.a of the poe%/ 0hich ifferentiates the t0o stan.as an &i1es the% separate
tones4 4u$ayb is ho0e1er aresse in the first line of the secon stan.a/ "ut this coul "e
seen as a connecti1e e1ice to tie the t0o stan.as to&ether4 The shift in perspecti1e "et0een
the t0o stan.as is thus create partl$ "$ the use of irect aress4 The first person of the
poe% is e1ient in the con7u&ation of the 1er"s in first person sin&ular/ "ut also in the use of
the affi8e personal pronoun in the first person sin&ular4 This 1oice in the poe% can "e
foun in lines @/ )(2;/ )92?/ '(2)/ '@2</ ;'/ ;@2</ =)/ =;2=/ =?29)/ i4e4 in nearl$ half of the
poe%Ks lines/ an there is an escalation of instances of the &ra%%atical first person to0ars
the en of the poe%4 The focus of the poe% thus shifts fro% the first stan.aNs ialo&ical tone
to a note %ore approachin& the soliloLu$ in the secon stan.a4 This is achie1e throu&h the
shift in irect aress an the intensification of the use of personal pronoun of the first
person as 0ell as con7u&ations of 1er"s in the first person4
'4)49 Metrical anal$sis
The s$lla"ic structure of the poe% is fairl$ re&ular 0ith a %a7orit$ of the lines in the first
)@
stan.a follo0in& the structure+ X X P D X X P D X X P 5lines ;2?/ @/ )(2)9/ ):/ )<2')/
';2'9/ '@ an ;(2;=6/ 0here the X inicates a 1ar$in& short or lon& s$lla"le4 This pattern
accors 0ith the %etre raa! 5%ncyclopedia of &rabic Literature/ )<<@+?')64 In the secon
stan.a of the poe%/ the %etrical structure of the raa! can "e foun in all "ut one line 5;964
Sli&ht 1ariations of the ini1iual %etre 0ere co%%on in the classical poe%/ &i1in& the poet
so%e freeo% of co%"ination in the %akin& of the line 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;:=64 The re%ainin&
lines that are not %etricall$ structure accorin& to this pattern are the short initial lines of
the poe%/ 0hich taken to&ether for%s t0o ia%"s/ i4e4 a raa! foot4 Ghile the poe% oes not
rea out perfectl$ in the %etrical pattern of one unifor% %etre/ the rh$th% of the line oes
accor to the ia%"ic structure of the raa!4 There is for instance a repetition of ti%es 5the
rh$th%ical units of short or lon& s$lla"les6 in lines :/ </ )?/ )@/ ':/ '</ ain& to the %etrical
structure of the poe%4
The use of suk'n in the poe% is ar"itrar$/ so%eti%es e%phasi.in& that the rh$%e
0or is en2stoppe 5e4&4 lines ;/ )(/ =:/ =@6/ so%eti%es rather superfluousl$ inicatin& a
pause in lines enin& in a full2stop 5e4&4 lines :/ ';/ ;'64 This is ho0e1er presuppose unless
the rh$%e 0or is 1ocali.e/ accorin& to the reain& of stanar prose in 0hich a 0or in
final position in a sentence is rea out in pause for% 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;?@64 There is onl$ one
occasion 0here a 0or in final position is e8plicitl$ 1ocali.e in the poe%/ an that is in line
=' 0here the 0or al-a!n' ens in a damma/ 0hich is prolon&e accorin& to poetic rules
5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;?@64 The effect of this 1ocali.ation is that the 0or/ 0hich 0oul other0ise
rh$%e on the letter n'n 5the c2rh$%e in lines ?/ @/ =;/ == an =:6/ no0 rh$%es on the lon&
1o0el ' an stans unrh$%e4 The elon&ation of the final 1o0el &i1es the line an aitional
lon& s$lla"le 0hich %akes the line en in t0o lon& s$lla"les/ a pheno%enon onl$ occurrin&
once %ore in the 0hole poe%/ na%el$ in the unrh$%e line ';4 -ere the final 0or al-nahr
creates the aitional lon& s$lla"le of the line4 In contrast to the ia%"ic finale of all other
lines in the poe%/ these t0o lines are e%phasi.e s$lla"icall$4 -ence/ the poet %a$ ha1e
e%plo$e the practice of 1ocali.ation in the rh$%e 0ors onl$ 0hen he 0ante to &i1e
attention to these lines an the specific 0ors at the en of the%4
'4)4? Su%%ar$
In su%%ar$ al-nahr $a al-ma$t is a poe% of t0o hetero%etric stan.as 0ith irre&ular
nu%"er of feet in each line4 The lineation of the poe% is "ase on a strai&ht left2han %ar&in
0ith irre&ular lines to0ars the ri&ht2han %ar&in4 The poet has e%plo$e "oth en7a%"%ent
)<
an en2stoppe lines in a co%"ination of the %etre raa! an ia%"ic tri2 an tetra%eter as
0ell as lines 0ith onl$ one foot "ut s$lla"icall$ structure in ia%"s4 The rh$%e2sche%e is
irre&ular in the traitional sense/ as is the lineation an %etrical structure of the poe%4 Both
repetitions an connecti1e %arkers in the for% of parano%asic 0ors help to 0ea1e the
the%atic unit$ of the poe%4 The rh$th% of the poe% is create "$ an interpla$ of
punctuation an tone of perspecti1e "et0een the poe%Ns t0o stan.as/ 0here the i1ision
create "$ the nu%erals as 0ell as the "lank space as to the ifferent tones4 Most technical
features of the poe% 5lineation/ rh$%e sche%e/ %etre6 are t$picall$ %oern/ as oppose to
the con1entions of classical poetr$4
'4' Fal27ur>
!unisK poe% Fal27ur> is taken fro% the antholo&$ +ictims of a ,ap in 0hich !unis
to&ether 0ith Mah%ou 3ar0ish an Sa%ih al2Hasi% are presente to an En&lish reaership
0ith poe%s in !ra"ic an in En&lish translation4 The poe% is the lon&est in the %aterial of
this paper/ 0ith ?; lines i1ie into 9 stan.as separate "$ the Ro%an nu%erals I2V4 The
stan.as are "uilt up of irre&ular nu%"er of lines/ the first containin& ten lines eLuall$ i1ie
into t0o para&raphs/ the secon containin& )? lines i1ie into t0o para&raphs of si8 an
ten lines each/ the thir an fourth containin& ten lines each eLuall$ i1ie into t0o
para&raphs an the fifth an last stan.a containin& ): lines i1ie into t0o para&raphs of
se1en an ten lines each4 There is thus re&ularit$ in the skeletal structure of the poe% 0here
each stan.a for%s a t$po&raphic unit enin& 0ith a full stop 5see appeni8 94'/ p4=;64
'4)4) #unctuation an aress
The nine para&raphs of the poe% for% units in the lineation as the$ are separate "$ "lank
space/ an the fi1e stan.as 5introuce "$ the Ro%an nu%erals6 all for% s$ntactic units
%arke "$ a full perio/ 0ith e8ception of the fourth stan.a4 In aition to this %ost
para&raphs for% s$ntactic units as 0ell/ e8cept the secon stan.a 0here the reain& of the
first para&raph continues into the follo0in& para&raph "$ the use of a se%i2colon4 The
secon para&raph in this stan.a is further%ore the onl$ one that contains punctuation %arks
at the en of the lines other than the co%%a an perioJ here one can fin ashes/ Luestion
%arks/ colon an citation %arks4 This para&raph separates fro% the others in such that the
first person of the poe% K&i1es 1oiceK to the aressee of the poe% P al-ur. *ro% the first
'(
stan.aNs repeate no%inal clauses 0ith al-ur as su"7ect in 0hich Fthe 0oun> is escri"e/
the secon stan.a irects itself to0ars al-ur/ &i1in& it 1oice 5amnau a$ta al-ur6 in a
ialo&ue fra%e 0ith Luotation %arks4 In the final t0o lines of this para&raph al-ur is
speakin&/ e8presse in the personal pronoun in the first person ana4 The poe% then
continues in the thir para&raph 0ith the first person turnin& to al-ur in irect aress/
"oth 0ith al-ur as a irect o"7ect affi8e to the 1er" 5sammaytuka/ line ': an '<6 an
0ith the 1ocati1e %arker y# 5line '@ an ;?64 The follo0in& stan.a lacks irect aress/ as
the first person e8presses an unfulfille 0ish in the conitional clauses "e&innin& 0ith la$4
In the final para&raph/ the first person of the poe% has ientifie an fuse 0ith al-ur/
e8presse in the use of the first person plural nanu) naxlu al-ur in line =</ an in lines 9:
an 9@ 0here the first person aresses y# #laman 0ith i%perati1es 5amir line =: an =</
hu!!an# line =<6 an the follo0in& eclaration that aqrabu minka al-ur an amalu
minka al-ur 5Fthe 0oun is nearer than $ou>/ Fthe 0oun is %ore "eautiful than $ou>64 In
this stan.a/ the first person turns to0ars F0orl char&e 0ith rea%in& an lon&in&>4
'4)4' Rh$%e sche%e
Ghile there is no o1erall co%prisin& rh$%e sche%e/ there is a structure of rh$%in& 0ors
0ithin each stan.a an para&raph4 Each stan.a contains "et0een = an ? ifferent t$pes of
rh$%e 0hich accu%ulates throu&hout the poe%/ so that the first stan.a rh$%es on the t$pes
a2e/ the secon f27/ the thir l2n/ the fourth o2p an the fifth an last L2s4 There are ho0e1er
one rh$%e that recurs in all stan.as of the poe% P the "2rh$%e4 This rh$%e is of the t$pe
muqayyada muarrada an is represente in a %a7orit$ of the instances "$ the epon$%ous
0or al-ur4 The 0or is repeate in final position fourteen ti%es throu&hout the poe%/ an
0ith an e8ception of t0o other 0ors repeate onl$ once each/ al-ur is the onl$ 0or
repeate 1er"ati% 5in rh$%e position6 so nu%erousl$4 ,a$$usi 0rites that the rh$%e Fcan "e
the cul%ination of 0hat the poet 0ants to sa$> 5)<::+?';6/ an in this case this cul%ination
coincies 0ith the title of the poe%/ or is epon$%ous of it4 One can also re%ark that there
are 0ors in final position that accorin& to traitional poetics cannot "e use as rh$%e
0ors/ i4e4 0ors 0hich en in a lon& 1o0el 5affi8e pronoun of the first person in line ):/
)@ an '(64 The con1ention of rh$%in& in traitional !ra"ic poetr$ ictate that the r#$
%ust "e a consonant 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;9'6/ in instances 0here the rh$%e 0or ens in / # or
')
'/ the 1o0el %ust a prolon&e short one accorin& to the rules of elon&ation of 1o0els in
final position4 The lon& of the affi8e possessi1e pronoun 0as not accepte as a rh$%e
0or 5I"i464
'4)4; En7a%"%ent
The irre&ular rh$%e sche%e is also enhance "$ the use of en7a%"%ent4 -a the 0or al-
ur for instance not "een positione at the en of line </ "ut follo0e the rules of the en2
stoppe line as it for%s the su"7ect of the preicati1e m#atun in the follo0in& line/ the
final 0or of this line ma$tin# 0oul ha1e rh$%e 0ith the final 0or of line = ahd#bin#4
The "reak in this structure/ prouce "$ al-ur "ein& left at the en of line < repeats the
epon$%ous 0or in a %onotonous 0a$4 It also %akes the final 0or in line = stan
unparallele "$ a rh$%in& partner/ althou&h it is %atche "$ rh$%in& 0ors in other
positions 5i4e4 the 0or ma$tin# in line <64 This pheno%enon can "e foun in other places/
for instance in lines ?' an ?;/ 0here the 1er" ya$ in initial position in the final line has
its su"7ect (ir#an in the line a"o1e4 If the 1er" ha follo0e i%%eiatel$ after the su"7ect in
the relati1e clause/ ya$ 0oul ha1e rh$%e 0ith abn in line 994
The carr$in& o1er of se%antic an s$ntactic infor%ation fro% one line to the ne8t
istorts the s$%%etr$ of the poe%/ "ut at the sa%e ti%e as to the unit$ of the sa%e4 Since
each line oes not represent a close unit the lines are connecte throu&h the en7a%"%ent/
an the rh$th% of the poe% flo0s instea of "ein& halte at the en of each line4 There are
se1eral other occasions 0here the poe% ne&lects the rule of en2stoppe lines so crucial to
the classical !ra"ic poe%/ an continues the s$ntactic unit o1er the len&th of t0o or %ore
lines4 In %an$ places this is one in such a 0a$ that the co%ple%ent of a no%inal clause
stans as the initial 0or in the line follo0in& the one containin& the su"7ect4 This can "e
seen for instance in the e8a%ple a"o1e/ in lines < an )( 0here the su"7ect al-ur hols the
final position in line < an the preicate imatun the initial position in line )(4 *urther%ore
this can "e seen in lines ;< an =( 0here the 0or madnah of line )( is the mu#f an the
final 0or in the precein& line baq#y# the mu#f ilayhi/ the 0hole ifa for%in& the
su"7ect of the la$2clause initiatin& line ;<4 This pheno%enon can "e foun also in the final
t0o lines of the poe% 0hich consist of t0o 1er"al clauses4 The o"7ect of the first clause 2
(ir#an - foun in line ?' is also the su"7ect of the 1er" in the succeein& line 2 ya5$6 The
''
separation of the t0o &ra%%aticall$ linke ele%ents halts the reain& of the poe%4 The
en7a%"%ent in the !ra"ic poe% can "e contraste to the practice in the translation 5see
appeni8 94@/ p4996 0here the lines are so%e0hat nor%ali.e/ an en7a%"%ent a1oie4
'4)4= Repetition
Besies the structure of rh$%e 0ors there is also a pattern of repeate introuctor$
constructions that can "e foun throu&hout the poe%/ often in clusters of t0o or %ore lines4
The repetitions co%prise sin&le 0ors 5li in ))/ );/ )= an )96/ phrases 5nam# ya'lu in
lines : an @6 an constructions 5an i%perati1e clause follo0e "$ a co%parati1e clause in
lines 9: an 9@64 There is an o"1ious increase in line initial repetition of 0ors an phrases
to0ars the en of the poe%/ 0hich helps "uilin& up the te%po4 The pattern of introuctor$
0ors an phrases is %ore strin&ent than that of en2rh$%es4 This re1erses the traitional
unif$in& feature of the en2rh$%e/ an %akes the poe% %irrore in its initial structure of
repeate ele%ents4 *urther%ore the repetition of the title of the poe%/ totall$ t0ent$ ti%es in
the 0hole poe% 5fourteen ti%es in rh$%e position6/ as to the poe%Ks ur&ent tone4
The pattern of repeate s$ntactic constructions in this poe% can "e seen for instance
in the first para&raph of the poe%4 There is no 1er" in this para&raph/ the fi1e lines %ake up
three ientical clauses consistin& of a su"7ect an a preicate/ 0here the su"7ect of each
sentence is a noun efine "$ an a7ecti1e in the for% of acti1e participle 5the first an thir
clause containin& also a preposition phrase6/ an the co%ple%ent is an i#fa 0here the
mu#f in all three clauses is the 0or al-ur4 Ghereas al-ur for%s the co%ple%ent to the
clauses in the first para&raph of the first stan.a/ the 0or is instea the su"7ect in three
clauses in the secon para&raph4 The first para&raph can "e sai to introuce al-ur "$
%eans of escri"in& it as an o"7ect/ 0hereas the secon para&raph shifts focus an escri"es
al-ur as a su"7ect 5"oth &ra%%atical an se%antic64
'4)49 Metrical anal$sis
In analo&$ 0ith the "roken pattern of rh$%e in the poe%/ the s$lla"ic structure is
characteri.e "$ repetition "ut not re&ularit$4 In the first stan.a the pattern X X P D X X
P D 5 P6 can "e foun in line )/ ;/ =/ < an )(/ 0here the X inicates a 1ar$in& s$lla"le4 Cike
in the pre1ious poe% Fal2nahr 0a al2%a0t>/ the pattern of this poe% accors 0ith the
';
%etrical structure of the %etre raa!+ X X P D X X P D X X P 5%ncyclopedia of &rabic
Literature) )<<@+?')64 This %etre is consiere to "e the olest/ an itNs %ost co%%on
1arieties are the i%eter an the tri%eter 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;?'6/ "oth of 0hich can "e foun in
Fal27ur> 0ith a %a7orit$ of the occurrences "ein& in the i%eter4 *urther in the poe% the
%etrical structure of the raa! %etre can "e foun in a %a7orit$ of the linesJ in the secon
stan.a lines ))/ );2)9/ ):2'(/ '' an '9/ in the thir stan.a in lines '@2;)/ ;;/ ;= an ;?/ etc4
Most of the lines in the poe% are too short to "e %etricall$ efine accorin& to the classical
rules of proso$/ since the s$lla"ic structure of all %etres in the %etrical s$ste% of !ra"ic
poetr$ is "ase on the i2 or tri%eter/ i4e4 the occurrence of a foot at least t0ice 5hence the
i26 in a line4 In lines 0ith less than ei&ht s$lla"les the feet %akin& up the %etre can not "e
iscerne4 One can ho0e1er efine the rh$th%/ an ientif$ possi"le sin&ular feet/ an a
s$lla"ic anal$sis sho0s that the initial structure of raa! 5i4e4 X X P6 can "e foun in %ost
lines of the poe%4 The pattern X X P can further%ore "e foun in the %etres al-bas) al-
sar" and al-munsari (cf4 Rets/ '(('+';f6/ it is thus a co%%on pattern for 1arious !ra"ic
feet.
!unis has also 0ritten a nu%"er of prose poe%s/ a &enre calle sa in !ra"ic an
0hich iffers fro% re&ular poetr$ in so%e aspects "ut likens it in others4 The poe% Fal27ur>
sho0s so%e of the characteri.ations of a prose poe% 5such as the hetero%etric lineation/ the
lack of a re&ular rh$%e sche%e etc6/ "ut a %ain feature of the prose poe% is the lack of
Fiscerni"le or for%al %etrical sche%e> 5Starke$/ '((?+@<64 The in1esti&ation of Fal27ur>
for this paper has ar&ue that the poe% sho0s a fairl$ hi&h e&ree of %etrical structure/ an
"ecause of this it is consiere a poe%/ an not a piece of qadat al-nar4
;
'4)4? Su%%ar$
In su%%ar$/ this poe% is "uilt up of a hetero%etric lineation 0ith an irre&ular rh$%e sche%e
an the %etric pattern in %a7orit$ of the %etre raa!4 The poe% is i1ie into fi1e stan.as/
0hich in turn are i1ie into t0o para&raphs each/ an the stan.as represent s$ntactic units4
The en7a%"%ent of the poe% "reaks the rh$%e sche%e an forces the %etrical structure to
o1errie the len&th of the sin&le line4 The rh$%e sche%e of the poe% is not re&ular/ "ut
sho0s a e&ree of re&ularit$ as the rh$%e t$pes succee each other throu&hout the poe% in a
linear fashion4
;
*or a iscussion on the ifference "et0een free 1erse an prose poetr$/ see for instance Moreh/ )<@<4
'=
'4; Flan Aa7arB>
The poe% Flan a7arBF "$ Mah%ou 3ar0ish is the shortest of the three poe%s in the
%aterial 0ith its ;; lines4 It 0as first pu"lishe in the antholo&$ +ictims of a ,ap an later
in the collection is#r li-mad#ih al-bar in )<@(4 Ghen 1ie0in& the poe% on the printe
pa&e 5see appeni8 94;/ p4=?6 it is clear that this poe% is not onl$ the shortest/ "ut also the
%ost unifor% in structure of the three4 Si8 stan.as %ake up the poe% 0ithout an$ separation
%arkers such as nu%erals/ 0hich can "e foun in the other t0o poe%s4 The first four stan.as
consistin& of fi1e lines each/ the fifth of se1en lines an the last of si8 lines4 The shortest
lines are the secon lines of each stan.a/ 0ith three s$lla"les in the structure of a con7unction
an an inefinite noun4 The increase in the nu%"er of lines to0ars the en of the poe%
creates a ensit$ in the rh$th% as the s$lla"ic pattern of the lines re%ains the sa%e "ut
ientical s$lla"les are ae to the stan.as4
'4;4) #unctuation
The punctuation of the poe% follo0s the lineation/ each stan.a ens in a full2stop/ 0ith
e8ception for the fourth stan.a 0here punctuation is lackin& 0hich points for0ar to0ars
the su"seLuent para&raph4 !lthou&h there is no punctuation 0ithin a line/ there is still
i1ision an pause in the for% of silence 0ors in final position4 The first three lines of
each stan.a for% a s$ntactic unit/ e8presse "$ the en7a%"%ent %arker of 1ocali.e 0ors
5e4&4 $#iun in line )/ bintu in line '6 in final position/ as 0ell as the separation of the
su"7ect 5e4&4 a$tu in line :6 an preicate 5e4&4 yafaru al-xaara f al-aar in line @6 o1er
t0o lines4 There is no full2stop at the en of these s$ntactic units/ "ut the$ are pause 0ith
suk'n at the en of the thir line of each stan.a4 In contrast to Fal2nahr 0a al2%a0t> an Fal2
7ur> the onl$ punctuation %ark use in Flan Aa7arB> is the full2stop4 The final line of the
poe% ens in an ellipse/ 0hich ecelerates the rh$th% an %akes the last 0ors of the poe%
resonate an ie out4
'4;4' Rh$%e sche%e
The rh$%e sche%e of the poe% is+ a"cac a"cec a"c(c a"c(c a(c((cc aaceac/ 0here the .ero
si&nifies a 0or that oes not ha1e a rh$%in& partner else0here in the poe%4 The structure
repetition of the a"c2rh$%e in the first four para&raphs is "roken in the fifth an si8th/ 0here
'9
onl$ a an c 5first an thirl$6 is retaine4 There is also an increase in isorer in the fifth
an lon&est para&raph of the poe%/ 0here one can fin %ost "lank lines/ i4e4 lines that o not
rh$%e 5''/ '=/ '96 in the 0hole poe%4 The "roken rh$%e sche%e of the three %ile stan.as
is parallele "$ the 1oca"ular$4 Ghereas the first t0o an the final stan.a of the poe%
contains a7ecti1es an 1er"s that are so%e0hat neutral 5e4&4 $iun P Fclear>/ xaraat P
F0ent out>/ mliun P Fsour> etc46/ the thir/ fourth an fifth stan.a sho0 an increase in
ra%atic e8pression in the 1oca"ular$ 5e4&4 #riun P Fpreator$>/ yaksiru P F"reaks>/
yaqtal'nan# P Fthe$ kill us> etc464
Besies rh$%in& on the r#$ in the a2rh$%e that is repeate in the first line of each
stan.a/ the final 0ors of these lines are all of the ientical %orpholo&ical structure ism al-
f#il 5acti1e participle64 !s the sche%e sho0s the rh$%in& consonant of all the final lines of
each stan.a is one an the sa%e 2 r#/ an further%ore the r#$ of all initial lines in the
poe%Ks si8 stan.as is one an the sa%e 2 #4 This anal$sis of rh$%e 0ors ho0e1er is "ase
on the 0ors in line final position 0ithout consieration for s$ntactic i1isions4 3ar0ish has
use en7a%"%ent throu&hout the poe%/ lettin& clauses stan i1ie "$ the "reak of lines/
"ut still unite "$ the cohesion of 1ocali.ation4 *or instance/ the first three lines of each
para&raph for% a sentence/ enin& in a 0or 0ith suk'n4 There is thus one structure of
rh$%e 0ors in the presente lineation/ an one s$ntactic structure o1erriin& this lineation4
'4;4; Metrical anal$sis
! s$lla"ic anal$sis sho0s that the stan.as of the poe%s follo0 the sa%e %etrical pattern4 !
count of the s$lla"les in the first t0o lines of each stan.a to&ether &i1es the pattern+ X X P P
P P P 5P6/ 0here the X inicates that the s$lla"le is 1ar$in&l$ either short or lon&/ an
the lon& s$lla"le in parenthesis inicates that the final lon& s$lla"le is a"sent in so%e of the
lines4 This s$lla"ic pattern can "e co%pare 0ith the pattern of the re%ainin& lines in each
stan.a/ 0hich looks like+ X P P P P P 5P64 -ence/ there is a re&ular s$lla"ic pattern
repeate in all lines of the poe%Ks si8 stan.as4 *urther%ore/ this s$lla"ic anal$sis is "ase on
the assu%ption that the short 1o0els at the en of 0ors in line2final position are prolon&e/
thus countin& bintu/ a$tu an baytu of line '/ : an ): s$lla"icall$ as bint'/ a$t' an
'?
bayt'4 The structure o1erriin& the poe% in its entiret$ coul "e anal$se as follo0s+ X X
P D X X P D X X 0hich is the pattern of the %etre xaff/ or as+ X P D X P D X P/ 0hich
is the pattern of the %etre mutadrik4 Onl$ one line in the 0hole poe% sho0s a s$lla"ic
structure e1iatin& fro% this pattern/ 0hich is line ? 0here the secon s$lla"le is lon& in
contrast 0ith the pattern 0hich reLuires a short s$lla"le in this position4 The secon line of
each stan.a is "uilt up of three s$lla"les/ 0hich is reall$ too short to iscern an$ t$pe of foot/
ho0e1er if taken in account to&ether 0ith the precein& line/ the structure coincies 0ith the
%etrical structure of re%ainin& lines4
!ccorin& to Moreh 5)<:?+')@6/ the xaff %etre 0as not co%%onl$ use "$ the poets
of al-(ir al-urr since it is "ase on t0o t$pes of feet 5the ia%" P an the trochYe P 6 in
contrast to one sin&le t$pe 5 P6 in the mutad#rik %etre4 The use of %etres 0hich 0ere "ase
on %ore than one t$pe of feet 0as a1oie "ecause of their restrictin& nature on the freeo%
of the poet4 Ge can thus assu%e that the %etre present here is the latter4 !s the %etrical
pattern of the mutad#rik %etre continues o1er the len&th of the line/ 3ar0ish has %ae use
of en7a%"%ent also in this respect4
'4;4= Repetition
The o1erall structure of each stan.a in the poe% follo0s the sa%e pattern+ the initial line of
each stan.a is %ae up of an inefinite noun co%ple%ente "$ an a7ecti1e in the for% of an
acti1e participle 5(#riun $#diun7 ulmun m#liun7 qamarun #riun) etc46J the secon line
of the con7unction $a an an inefinite "is$lla"ic noun 5$a bint'J $a a$t'7 $a amt') etc46J
the thir line starts 0ith a 1er" 0hose su"7ect is the noun in the precein& line 5ya(tahn#
i# abarJ xaraat tulaqu l-u$ar/ etc46 the fourth an fifth line 5of the three first stan.as6
follo0in& the sa%e ientical s$lla"ic pattern/ "ut not the s$ntactic pattern 5see lines =/ 9/ </
)(/ )=/ )9/ )</ '(64
The first fi1e lines of the poe%Ks lon&er fifth an si8th stan.as follo0 the sa%e
structure as the a"o1e/ 0ith an aition of one an t0o lines respecti1el$ 0hich "oth follo0
the sa%e s$lla"ic pattern as the fifth line of the first four stan.as4 The unifor% s$ntactic
structure of the poe% &i1es it a soli fra%e0ork in 0hich the iction can %o1e an &ro04 !ll
clauses are eclarati1e/ an a %a7orit$ of the su"7ects in the clauses are inefinite4 This lens
the poe% a kin of uni1ersal tone/ there are no Luestions an fe0 efine &ra%%atical
':
persons in the poe%4 The su"7ect of the 1er" yaqtal'nan# in line )< is not ientifie/ an
neither the first person plural in lines )</ '9 an ':4
Ghen consierin& the poe% in its entiret$ repeate patterns of 0or choice an
s$ntactic structure e%er&e4 The initial t0o lines of the first stan.a are repeate 1er"ati% in
the first lines of the last stan.a/ thus creatin& the circular structure4 E1en thou&h the e8ternal
structure is ri&i/ the se%antic feature of this structure escalates fro% the first para&raph to
the fifth/ an then eflates in the si8th an last stan.a/ ain& to the circular structure4 The
lack of for%al i1ision "et0een the stan.as also as to the floatin& character of the poe%/
as oes the unifor% introuction of each stan.a4 The final t0o lines in the first stan.a are
repeate as a parallelis% in the final t0o lines of the poe%+ $a bil#dun badatun D $a
bil#dun bil# 8aar an $a xiy#m badatun D $a xiy#mun bil# 8aar 0ith the first stan.aKs
bildun 5Fcountr$>6 replace "$ the final stan.aKs xiy#m an xiymun 5F%$ tent> an
Ftent>64 xiy#mun an bil#datun can "e seen as parallelis%s/ as the Kcountr$K an in a narro0er
sense Kho%eK in the traitional Beouin societ$ 0as represente "$ the tents &athere in a
transient 0ellin& place4 The tentsDho%e can also "e interprete as the tents of a refu&ee
ca%p/ ain& another i%ension to the interpretation of the poe%4 The aition of the
affi8e pronoun of the first person in the penulti%ate line as to the contrast "et0een the
inefiniti1e phrases in the "e&innin& of each line/ an the har an ark estin$ of the FI> in
the last lines4
'4;49 !ress
The first person can first "e notice in the affi8e first person pronoun line < 0here abbat
is aresse/ an in the follo0in& line 0here the pronoun is repeate on rim4 The thir
stan.a contains no &ra%%atical person/ the fourth onl$ one occasion 0here the first person
plural is the irect o"7ect affi8e to the 1er" in yaqtal'nan#4 Then follo0s an increase in the
use of &ra%%atical person in the fifth stan.a/ 0here the first person plural appears "oth as an
affi8e o"7ect/ an as the su"7ect affi8e in the 1er" iqtarabn# an taabn#4 The lack of an$
&ra%%atical person in the introuctor$ stan.a as to the sense of uni1ersalit$/ an the
aition of the first person in the other0ise s$ntacticall$ 5an se%anticall$6 si%ilar last
stan.a narro0s the perspecti1e o0n/ fro% the uni1ersal to the personal4 The repetition of
the final lines oes ho0e1er create a sense of hopelessness/ nothin& has chan&e throu&hout
the poe%/ it ens 0here it starte4 The aresser an the aressee re%ain unkno0n to the
reaer/ thus &i1in& the poe% a sense of &eneralit$4
'@
'4;4? Su%%ar$
In su%%ar$/ the poe% Flan a7arB> is a structure poe%/ althou&h 0ith hetero%etric
lineation4 Repeate ientical s$nta8 in all stan.as of the poe% creates an e8ternal structure in
0hich the the%e of the poe% e1ol1es4 There is a increase in te%po in the fifth stan.a of the
poe%/ 0here "oth rh$%e sche%e an s$nta8 co%"ine in creatin& a isorere para&raph4
The use of &ra%%atical person is also increase in this stan.a/ 0hich is further%ore the
lon&est of all stan.as in the poe% 0ith its se1en lines4 The circular structure of the poe%/
0hich is e8presse "oth in rh$%e sche%e an s$ntactic constructions/ contri"utes to the tone
of finalit$ an lack of chan&e in the poe%4
'<
3 Discussion and conclusion
;4) Moern 1s4 classical poetr$
Since Bar Shakir al2Sa$$a" 0as the pioneer force "ehin the *ree Verse Mo1e%ent/ 0hile
!ra"ic poetics 0as still closel$ tie to the iio% of classical poetr$/ one coul e8pect his
poetr$ to "e the %ost "oun "$ traitional poetic 1alues4 -is poe% is fro% Fthe pioneer
phase> 5,a$$usi/ )<::+)=:6 of the %oernist poetic %o1e%ent in !ra"ic/ a phase in 0hich
poetic e8peri%entation an li"eration starte to &ain serious &roun/ "ut still ha not
esta"lishe4 -o0e1er/ it 0as a poe% "$ the $oun&est poet in the %aterial P Mah%ou
3ar0ish 2 that represente the %ost for%all$ "oun an unifor%all$ structure piece of the
three poe%s stuie4 Not surprisin&l$/ the poet fa%ous for a1ocatin& %oernis%/ !unis/
contri"ute 0ith the least for%all$ "oun poe%4 The aspects of lineation/ rh$%in&/ %etre
an internal structure in the three poe%s sho0e ifferent e&rees of aherence to the
characteristics of traitional !ra"ic poetr$ an 0ill "e iscusse in the follo0in&4
The %ain for%al reLuire%ents of the classical poe% are the fi8e pattern of
s$%%etr$ an "alance 5!llen/ )<<@+)'(6/ the s$%%etr$ "ein& realise throu&h the %ono2
rh$%e an the t0o he%istichs of the poe%/ the "alance Fprouce "$ the %etrical i1ision/
throu&h the t0o caesuras in the sin&le 1erse> 5I"i464 This s$%%etr$ is the %ost o"1ious
feature of classical poetr$/ an the one that the reaer is confronte 0ith at a first &lance of
the poe% 5or traitionall$ an e8pecte feature of the oral presentation of the poe%64
Therefore the ne&lection of this s$%%etr$ prouces a 1er$ istin&uishin& effect/ an coul
e1en entail a reain& of the poe% as %ore %oern or su"1ersi1e 51is2Z21is the poetic
traition6 than other features of it %i&ht sho04 The introuction of free 1erse in !ra"ic
poetr$ &enerall$ entaile that li"ert$ 0as taken 0ith Fthe len&th of the line/ the nu%"er of
the taflas use an the rh$%e pattern> 5Moreh/ )<:?+))964 !ll these li"eratin& features can
"e foun in the %aterial of this paper/ "ut in ifferent e&rees in the three poe%s4
;4' CineationDpunctuation
The first i%pression of the poe%s "ase on 1ie0in& the% on the pa&e &i1es that Fal2nahr 0a
al2%a0t> is the least structure in respect to lineation/ follo0e "$ the fi1e2stan.aic Fal2
7ur> an finall$ the 0ell proportione para&raphs of Flan a7arB> 5see appenices 94)2;/
pp4 =)2=?64 The practice of punctuation e%plo$e in each poe% contrasts 0ith the traitional
;(
s$%%etric poe%/ 0here lines 0ere en2stoppe an each line for%e a s$ntactic as 0ell as
se%antic unit4 The irre&ular lineation presents the %ost o"1ious eparture fro% classical
poetics/ an can "e foun in all three poe%s of the %aterial4 Cennar 0rites that
Fpunctuation is to 0ors as cartila&e is to "one> 5'((?+)(96/ &i1in& the 0ors in a line 5or a
poe%6 roo% an a"ilit$ to articulate in certain 0a$s4 #unctuation in nor%al !ra"ic prose is
&enerall$ a practice of usin& the full perio at the en of a sentence4 Elauses are nor%all$
connecte throu&h the use of the con7unction $a or other constructions/ an sentences
usuall$ lon&4 The use of punctuation in the classical poe% onl$ %eant a perio at the en of
the en2stoppe line4 -ence/ the punctuation in the poe%s stuie contrasts "oth a&ainst
traitional poetic practice an the co%%on practice of nor%al prose 5althou&h punctuation in
!ra"ic prose is not re&ulate an &o1erne "$ as %an$ rules as for instance the practice in
En&lish or %an$ European lan&ua&es64
al2Sa$$a" uses fi1e ifferent t$pes of punctuation %arks/ ran&in& fro% the Fhea1iest>
5Cennar/ '((?+))?6 full2stop to the Fli&htest> 5I"i46 ash4 The %arks are use at the en of
lines as 0ell as in the %ile of the%/ i1iin& clauses an phrases into rh$th%ic units4
!unis uses se1en ifferent t$pes/ 0ith the se%i2colon an 2uillemots 5*rench Luotation
%arks6 aitional to al2Sa$$a"Ns use4 In contrast to Fal2nahr 0a al2%a0t>/ 0here the
punctuation %arks are use in the 0hole poe%/ the %arks in Fal27ur> are concentrate in
the secon stan.a4 -ere the punctuation as to the increase in rh$th% an tension in this
stan.a4 The poe% Flan a7ar> is a&ain the %ost unifor% in structure also in respect to the
use of punctuation4 The poe%Ns si8 stan.as for% si8 s$ntactic units close "$ a full2stop4 No
other punctuation %arks are use in the poe%/ 0hich ens in an ellipse/ inicatin& Fa
trailin&2off into silence> 5Cennar/ '((?+);;64
;4; Rh$%es an repetition
The feature of rh$%in& in the three poe%s stuie sho0e ifferent e&rees of i%portance
for the %elo$ of the poe% as a sonorous unit4 The rh$%e sche%es iscerne in the poe%s
stuie are e1ience of a su"1ersi1e practice 1is2Z21is the traitional %ono2rh$%in& poe%4
eIoun& ar&ues that the feature of a 1aria"le rh$%e sche%e 0as introuce as earl$ as in the
classical perio/ "ut that the practice i not esta"lish as an accepte poetic practice until the
*ree Verse Mo1e%ent 5)<<@+)<=64 There is a conception of free 1erse or %oern !ra"ic
poetr$ 5an poetr$ in other lan&ua&es as6 that it has lost all features of the traitional poetic
iio%/ !llen for instance states that Fassonance an repetition> 5)<<@+)')6 has replace
;)
ele%ents in the %oern poe% that 0ere Ftraitionall$ associate 0ith rh$%e> 5I"i464 The
anal$sis of the poe%s in this paper su&&ests ifferentl$4 It is true that the or&anisation of the
classical poe% aroun the %onorh$%in& final 0or of each line is a"anone in %oern
!ra"ic poetr$/ an it is o"1ious that %oern poe%s at first si&ht "ear no rese%"lance to the
strictl$ s$%%etrical he%istichs of the classical poe% in 0hich the lines 0ere arran&e so as
to Fe%phasi.e the en2rh$%e of each line> 5!llen/ )<<@+)'(64 -o0e1er/ the rh$%e can still
"e foun in %oern poetr$/ an as this paper su&&est/ it pla$s not a %inor role in the poetic
lan&ua&e of these %oern poe%s4 En2rh$%es are e%plo$e in all three poe%s/ "ut not in
the traitional sense4 The$ interact 0ith other features such as souns/ parono%asia an
repetition to tie the lines to&ether an e%phasi.e the the%e of the poe%4
Moreh 0rites that the pheno%enon kno0n as iyt#/ 5 the repetition of the sa%e
0or in rh$%e throu&h the sa%e poe%> V)<:?+'')fW6 "eca%e Fa fashion> 5I"i464 Ghen the
en rh$%e lost its i%portance as a final %arker of the en of a line in the issol1in& of the
%etrical structure in %oern !ra"ic poetr$/ one can see in the poe%s anal$se that the
rh$%in& features insie the line an "et0een lines an stan.as appeare4 -o0e1er/ the en
rh$%e is still use "ut possi"l$ 0ith ifferent connotations/ an for ifferent reasons4
eIoun& 0rites that the con1ention of the %ono2rh$%e 0as "roken e1en in the classical
perio/ in the poetr$ of strophic for% 2 the !aal an the mu$aah 2 that ha its ori&in in
!ra"ic Spain 5)<<@+)<=6/ "ut she states that the establishment of the 1ar$in& rh$%e sche%e
occurre to&ether 0ith the *ree Verse Mo1e%ent 5I"i464 The pattern of rh$%e 0ors in the
poe%s o not follo0 an$ re&ulate for%ula/ 0hich is a "asic characteristic of %oern poetr$+
e1er$ poe% sho0s an ini1iual rh$%e sche%e/ as oppose to the pre2%oern poe% 0here
the rh$%e sche%e often follo0e a set pattern 5for instance the ou"let or the sonnet64
!lthou&h "oth assonance an alliteration occur in the poe%s/ these features ha1e not
replace the feature of the en2rh$%e4
The t$pe of rh$%e use in the poe%s in the %aterial 1aries/ "ut the %ost popular t$pe
is the muqayyada 5use in the t0o 1ariations muarrada an murdafa64 ,a$$usi 0rites that
this t$pe/ the fettere rh$%e/ Ftone o0n %uch of the peantr$ an resonance> 5)<::+?';6
0hich conseLuentl$ "rin& the poetic lan&ua&e Fnearer to a con1ersational tone> 5I"i464
Since there are fe0 occurrences of the rh$%e t$pe mulaqa/ one can iscern a tren to0ars
a si%pler poetic lan&ua&e4 Of course/ the fettere rh$%e is %ore a1aila"le since it can "e
%ae out of the '' consonants in the !ra"ic alpha"et/ 0hereas the loose rh$%e onl$ has the
three 1o0els to construct fro%4 In al2Sa$$a"Ns poe%/ rh$%in& can "e foun "oth finall$ an
initiall$ in the line/ an the repetition of 0ors 1er"ati% in rh$%e position helps esta"lishin&
;'
the tone an the%e of the poe%4 !unisN poe% presents a rh$%e sche%e 0hich accu%ulates
an flo0s throu&hout the stan.as of the poe%4 The repetition of the epon$%ous 0or Fal2
7ur> in rh$%e position "ins the 1erses to&ether4 In Flan Aa7arB>/ the rh$%e sche%e is 1er$
re&ular/ 0ith an interruption of structure in the fourth an fifth stan.as 0hich %irrors the
intensification of tone in these para&raphs4
;4= Metrical structure
!ll poe%s sho0e a re&ular s$lla"ic pattern to so%e e&ree an in all three poe%s %etrical
structures coul "e foun/ "ut the t$pes of %etre an the co%"inations of feet 0ere ifferent
in the three poe%s4 al2Sa$$a"Ks poe% Fal2nahr 0a al2%a0t> is co%pose in %ost lines
accorin& to the raa! %etre4 In short lines 0here scansion 0as not possi"le the raa! foot
0as still use in a %a7orit$ of the lines/ an in lon&er lines the i2 an tri%eter 1ariation of
the %etre coul "e foun4 In !unisK Fal27ur> the co%"ination of feet into the %etre raa!
occurre %ost freLuentl$4 The ia%"ic structure is constant e1en thou&h not e1er$ line
aheres to the raa! %etre4 3ar0ishKs Flan Aa7arB> coul "e anal$se as "uilt up of the %etre
mutad#rik or the %etre xaff/ "oth possi"ilities "ein& eLuall$ plausi"le in respect to the
poe%Ks %etrical re&ularit$4 -o0e1er/ the for%er interpretation is %ore plausi"le as it consists
of one t$pe of foot/ in contrast to the latter in 0hich t$o ifferent t$pes of feet are use4
The traitional poetic con1ention that pro1e to "e the %ost char&e an ifficult to
"reak 0as the for%al/ Fthat %ost intracta"le ele%ent in the inherite poe%> 5,a$$usi/
)<@@+@64 In classical !ra"ic poetr$/ the line consists of up to ;( s$lla"les i1ie o1er t0o
he%istichs/ i1ie into t0o s$%%etrical parts separate "$ a caesura 5%ncyclopedia of
&rabic Literature/ )<<@+?)<64 The s$%%etr$ 5"oth 1isual an aural6 unerlines Fthe
principles of rh$%e an %etre> 5!llen/ )<<@+)'(64 The poe%s in the %aterial for this paper
are %ae up of lines holin& fro% ' to )9 s$lla"les4 Interestin& to note is that none of the
poe%s anal$se use %ore than )9 s$lla"les per line4 Most of the classical %etres reLuire a
fi8e nu%"er of s$lla"les in each line/ 0ith a li%it of ;( s$lla"les per t0o he%istichs/ hence
a %a8i%u% of )9 s$lla"les a line 5or half 1erse64
The function of the %eter is to "uil up a re&ular pattern of e%phasis in the line an
throu&hout the poe%/ an this function is still i%portant in %oern poetr$4 Cennar ar&ues
that Fonl$ in 1er$ "orin& poe%s 0ill all lines confor% e8actl$ to the prescri"e %etrical
pattern> 5'((?+@6 an su&&ests further%ore that the %etre chosen for a certain poe%
functions as a Fte%plate> 5Cennar/ '((?+96 fro% 0hich the poet can %ake 1ariations4 The
te%plate of the poe%s in the %aterial 0oul conseLuentl$ "e the raa! for Fal2nahr 0a al2
;;
%a0t> an Fal27ur> an the mutadrik for Flan Aa7arB>4 The %etre raa! is "$ so%e hel to
"e the %etrical pattern Fout of 0hich all other %etres ha1e e1ol1e> 5%ncyclopedia of
&rabic Literature/ )<<@+?=964 Because of its %etrical Flooseness> 5I"i46 an its "asic ia%"ic
pattern co%%on to !ra"ic %orpholo&$/ it %i&ht not "e surprisin& that the raa! is the
%etrical founation in t0o of the poe%s anal$se4
In the %etrical anal$sis of a poe% one %ust fin the F"asic pattern> 5Cennar/
'((?+96 of the line an 0ork out if this pattern stretches o1er the len&th of the line an
further to the 0hole poe%4 In the classical poe% the "asic pattern/ or the te%plate fro%
0hich the poet starte/ 0as ientical in all lines of the poe% 2 such 0ere the poetic rules4 In
%oern poetr$ ho0e1er co%"inations of feet are use in each line/ an o1er the lines to 1ar$
the rh$th%4 Moreh 0rites that the poets of al2ir al-urr F%ostl$ use ei&ht of the si8teen
classical %etres of !ra"ic poetr$> 5)<:?+')@6 an he enu%erates those ei&ht %etres/ of
0hich raa! an mutadrik are inclue4 The %etre xaff/ 0hich is "ase on t0o t$pes of feet
5in contrast to one t$pe in raa! an mutadrik6/ is e8clue 5)<:?+')=64 Out of a list of the
%etres use in '; i0ans that Moreh has stuie/ the %etre raa! 0as use in )9? of the
poe%s 5)<:?+')<6/ therefore representin& the %ost co%%on %etre in free 1erse4 The
mutadrik %etre 0as use in ?? of the poe%s/ less than half the nu%"er of poe%s co%pose
in the %etre raa!4 ,a$$usi 0rites that the raa! %etre F"e&an to "e popular> 5)<::+?(:6 in
)<99/ 0hich she consiers Fa &reat &ain for poetr$> 5I"i4 ?(@6/ as the %etre 0as isfa1oure
in the classical poetr$4 So%e of the lines in all three poe%s 0ere too short to anal$se
s$lla"icall$/ i4e4 the$ containe too fe0 s$lla"les to iscern a %etrical pattern4 This is
precisel$ the practice of the poets of the *ree Verse Mo1e%ent 0ho %ae the "asic unit of
the line the foot as oppose to classical poetr$ 0here the line itself 0as the "asic unit of the
poe%4 The short lines in the poe%s in the %aterial consist of a sin&le foot/ an the ia%"ic
structure of the raa! %etre occurs %ost freLuentl$ in these lines4
Ghen talkin& a"out %oern poetr$/ the ter% free verse often co%es up/ "ut the 0or
free %i&ht "e %isleain&4 *ree 1erse in %oern !ra"ic poetr$ %eans the freeo% of
co%posin& the lines 0ith irre&ular nu%"er of feet 5Moreh iscusses the ter% an alternati1e
ter%inolo&$ )<:?+'))f64 The foot is still the "asic unit of the line/ "ut the co%"ination of
feet into a certain %etre is accorin& to Starke$ lost 5'((?+@(64 -o0e1er/ the poe%s stuie
in this paper all sho0e to so%e e&ree a %etrical structure that can "e euce as certain
%etres4 The rh$th% of the line %i&ht "e preser1e/ "ut the o1erall rh$th%ic structure of the
poe% as a 0hole/ an as can "e seen in classical poe%s/ is lost4 One characteristic of the free
;=
1erse is accorin& to Starke$ 5)<<@+@)6 the use of %etres that are "ase on onl$ one pattern
of foot/ as Moreh also iscusses 5a"o1e64 In contrast to the classical poe% 0here the nu%"er
of feet in each line 0as fi8e/ the poe%s anal$se in this paper ha1e irre&ular nu%"er of feet
in each line throu&hout the poe%4 3ree 1erse is hence not e1oi of %etrical structure/ "ut of
a %ore open for% than classical poetr$4 Moreh efines free 1erse as Fha1in& relati1el$ free
patterns of stress> 5)<:?+;'(6 "ut arran&e into units 0ith Frecurrent patterns "$ %eans of
e1ices such as repetition/ parallel &ra%%atical structure/ etc> 5I"i464
;49 En7a%"%ent
The "reakin& of the traitional s$%%etr$ of poetr$ also affecte the internal structure of a
poe%/ as it li"erate the poet "oth s$ntacticall$ an se%anticall$4 !lon& 0ith the li"eration
of the line ca%e the practice of en7a%"%ent/ &i1in& the poet li"ert$ to continue a clause or
phrase o1er the len&th of the line/ or fittin& t0o separate clauses into one sin&le line4 The
Faspects of s$%%etr$ an eLuili"riu% of each 1erse> 5,a$$usi/ )<::+9;=6 associate 0ith
the classical poe% 0ere so%e of the features that 0ere %ae ri of/ in 1arious 0a$s4 The
"reakin& of the con1ention of the en2stoppe line 0as Fone of the %ost i%portant effects of
%akin& the nu%"er of feet 1aria"le> 5eIoun&/ )<<@+)<;64 The rh$th% of the line is
prouce rather 0ith caence than Ffor%al scanne feet> 5Moreh/ )<:?+;'(6/ i4e4 0ith a
rh$th% %ore si%ilar to the spoken lan&ua&e than %etrical4
The en7a%"%ent present in %oern !ra"ic poetr$ is one feature that separates it fro%
the classical poe%s4 In the classical poe% the line 0as Fself2containe> 5,a$$usi/ )<@@+@6/
i4e4 it 0as inepenent "oth se%anticall$ an s$ntacticall$ 1is2Z21is the pre2 or succeein&
line4 The introuction of the for%al feature of en7a%"%ent 0as %ae possi"le "$ the
"reakin& of ol poetic con1entions 5e Ioun&/ )<<@+)<;64 En7a%"%ent in classical !ra"ic
poetr$ 0as Fa"solutel$ for"ien> 5Moreh/ )<:?+'')6/ 0hich restraine the poetic freeo%
of the poet4 Cines of une1en len&th/ en7a%"%ent an the t$po&raphical i%pression of
%oern poe%s contrasts &reatl$ 0ith the classical poe% of eLuall$ lon& lines an fi8e
structure4 FVTWhe &reatl$ increase fle8i"ilit$> 5eIoun&/ )<<@+)<;6 of %oern poe%s %akes
the poetr$ see% e1en %ore free in contrast to the traitional for% 5I"i464 The prosoic
s$ste% of the classical poe% is a"anone in fa1our of freeo% of e8pression 0hen it co%es
to arran&in& the lines of the poe%4
Ghat is interestin& in the case of en7a%"%ent in the poe%s stuie is that althou&h a
sentence %a$ continue o1er the en of a line into the "e&innin& of the ne8t in the poe%s
stuie/ the final 0or of a line often stans in pause for%4 -a there "een a true
;9
en7a%"%ent/ the 0or 0oul "e rea out full$/ as it 0oul ha1e if it 0ere in the %ile of a
nor%al sentence of prose4 This coul "e seen as a co%pro%ise "et0een %oern for% an
classical structure4 The practice of en7a%"%ent iffers in the three poe%s+ al2Sa$$a" an
!unis let the s$nta8 an se%antics o1errie the len&th of the line "ut the final 0or in %ost
lines is still in pause for% 5i4e4 %arke 0ith suk'n6/ 0hereas 3ar0ish is %ore con&ruent in
lea1in& en7a%"e lines en in full$ 1ocali.e 0ors4 Moreh 0rites that the kin of rh$%in&
enin& 0ith a suk'n 0as Fa"use D444D "$ o1erusin& successi1e en7a%"%ent/ 0hich "eca%e
an o"stacle to the reaer> 5)<:?+'')64 Gors that are &ra%%aticall$ linke 5such as su"7ect
an preicate/ for instance in the poe% Fal27ur> line <2)(/ 0here the su"7ect al-ur is en2
stoppe 0ith a suk'n an the o"7ect im#atun follo0s in the follo0in& line6 are inter1ene
"$ suk'n/ 0hich "reaks the F%usic of the poe%> 5Moreh/ )<:?+'')64
;4? Rh$th%
Rh$th% is such an i%portant feature of poetr$/ an not the least so in !ra"ic poetr$ 0ith its
lon& traition of oral preser1ation of poetr$4 One conception of 0hat has happene in the
e1elop%ent fro% the structurall$ strict pre2Isla%ic poetr$ to the conte%porar$ !ra"ic
poetr$ in its %oern for%/ is that the ele%ent of rh$th% an soun has uner&one a shift
0ithin the poetic lan&ua&e4 Elassical poetr$ 0ithout F%etre or %easure> 5Gri&ht/ )<<?+;9)6
0as not consiere poetr$ at all/ "ut F%erel$ rh$%e prose> 5I"i6/ toa$ there are prose
poe%s as 0ell as unrh$%e "ut still %etrical poetr$4 Ghereas the classical poets use the
rh$%e an %etre in e8pressin& rh$th%/ %oern poetr$ has iffuse these ele%ents to
co%prise the 0hole poe%/ 0ith an aition to the en2rh$%es 0ith internal rh$%es/
alliterations/ assonance an other t$pes of soun ele%ents4 3escri"in& %oern !ra"ic poetr$
as ha1in& su"stitute the repetition of en2rh$%e or feet 0ith a repetition of soun an
0ors is a si%plification of the for% of this poetr$4 !s the anal$sis of the %aterial for this
paper su&&ests/ the eparture fro% the con1ention of the en2rh$%e i not lea1e an e%pt$
space in the structure of %oern poetr$4 The en2rh$%e can still "e foun/ an %a$"e it is
7ust the purpose of usin& it that has chan&e fro% representin& an i%portant feature of
s$%%etr$ to e8pressin& an enhancin& the the%e of the poe%4
The %etrical pattern nonetheless/ the poe%s in the %aterial for this stu$ iffer fro%
the strictl$ %etricall$ arran&e classical !ra"ic poe% in re&ar to repetitions of phrases an
0ors4 In the classical qasda for instance/ the lines 0ere "uilt up on the sa%e %etrical
structure "ut containe ifferent for%ulations4 Rh$%e 0ors 0ere to ha1e their "ase in one
;?
an the sa%e consonant "ut the 0ors in the final position of the line ha to "e ifferent4 The
stu$ of the poe%s in the %aterial for this paper sho0s that 0hile the poe%s %a$ ahere to
so%e for%al characteri.ations of the classical poe%/ the use of repetition an poetic license
is far %ore co%%on/ 0hich 0as to "e e8pecte fro% these %oern poets4 Rh$%in& is
interconnecte 0ith 0or2pla$ an other poetical ele%ents associate 0ith soun4 This sai/
the features of the classical %etrical s$ste% are not lost in %oern !ra"ic poetr$4 *i8e
%etrical structure in line2len&th an rh$%es in the classical poe% ha1e %uch to o 0ith the
oral nature of this poetr$4 !lon& 0ith the e1elop%ents in societ$ that "rou&ht for instance
the printin& press/ the literature in the !ra" 0orl has &one throu&h a chan&e also in its
%eiu%4 !s poetr$ "e&an to "e recei1e as a 0ritten prouct instea of as a Fhear or recite
one> 5eIoun&/ )<<<+)<'6/ the %ne%onic effect of the structural features lost so%e of its
i%portance/ 0hen the Fshackles of iso%etric lines> 5So%ekh/ )<<;+9@6 0ere "roken4 The
hetero%etric feature of the poe%s in the %aterial is an i%portant characterisation of %oern
!ra"ic poetr$4
;4: Eonclusion
No literature of an$ lan&ua&e can "e sai to "e co%pletel$ isen&a&e to the literar$ histor$
of that lan&ua&e/ an in the case of !ra"ic literature the herita&e of the classical literature
an poetr$ in particular is profounl$ 1i1i in %oern 0ritin&4 The aesthetic con1entions
5se%antic as 0ell as technical6 connecte to the literar$ traition 0as part of the !ra"ic
Fpoetic herita&e> 5,a$$usi/ )<@@+)6/ 0hich %ae the process of a"anonin& the% "oth
Fintense/ ra%atic/ an so%eti%es painful> 5I"i464 The %etrical s$ste% use in the poe%s
anal$se coul "e sai to ha1e the %etre as startin& point/ in that the$ use it as a fra%e0ork
for structure4 !lthou&h the poe%s in the %aterial are co%pose rather accorin& to a certain
foot instea of accorin& to a fi8e %etre/ the$ still sho0 patterns of re&ularit$ in "oth
rh$th% an rh$%e/ patterns that can "e %easure an euce4 There is a clear continuit$ of
poetic traition fro% the classical poetr$ to the 0orks of %oern !ra"ic poets4 !llen
%entions that %oern poets una0are of their poetic herita&e ha1e Fnot %et 0ith critical or
popular success> 5)<<@+'):64
The poe%s in the %aterial of this paper are onl$ sa%ples of the Fearl$> %oern
poetr$ of the secon half of the '(
th
centur$4 The prosoic nature of the !ra"ic poetr$ of
toa$ is another topic for in1esti&ation/ as ,a$$usi states+ Fthe %a7or e8peri%ents continue>
5)<::+?(964 There is also the lar&e &roup of !ra"ic poets in other than !ra" countries that
ha an effect on the %oernist %o1e%ent/ for instance the mahar2poets an their often
;:
"ilin&ual poetr$/ the h$"ri nature of 0hich is another topic for in1esti&ation4 Moreh 0rites
that these poets Fha1e left the eepest i%pression upon %oern !ra"ic poetr$> 5)<:?+)6/ an
in1esti&ations of their for% as 0ell as co%parisons 0ith !ra"ic poetr$ co%pose in the !ra"
0orl 0oul "e interestin&4 The poe%s in the %aterial are further%ore taken out of their
political an cultural conte8t an shoul the$ "e interprete an anal$se in this conte8t a
fuller unerstanin& of the% 0oul appear4
The fact that the $oun&est poet 5an hence %ost K%oernK in the chronolo&ical sense6
represente the %ost unifor%all$ structure piece of poetr$ sho0s that it is not a linear
e1elop%ent/ an the *ree Verse Mo1e%ent i not force a clean "reak fro% the traitional
1alues of classical !ra"ic poetr$4 The iio% of poetr$ is %a$"e the %ost ini1iual lan&ua&e
of all &enres4 !s such/ it %i&ht "e fruitless to tr$ to escri"e trens 0ithin a literar$
%o1e%ent/ "ut it is still possi"le to outline &eneral tenencies4 !unis is stron&l$ associate
0ith the concept of %oernit$ in !ra"ic poetr$ 5Starke$/ '((?+@:6/ an his poe% sho0e
least ri&iit$ in for% of the three4 Eonsiere Fthe !ra" 0orlKs %oernist par excellence>
5!llen/ )<<@+'):6/ this %i&ht not "e surprisin&4
Gi1en that %oern !ra"ic poetr$ is so interconnecte 0ith classical poetic
for%alities has i%plications not the least for the translation of %oern !ra"ic poetr$4
Translators %ust &i1e hee to the for%al aspects of poetr$4 *urther research into the fiel of
co%parati1e translation %a$ offer insi&hts a"out the nature of translation/ as 0ell as the
co%ple8 structure of see%in&l$ >free> an >%oern> poetr$4 ! ne8t lo&ical step fro% the
kin of in1esti&ation presente in this paper coul "e to look at translations 5"oth source an
tar&et te8ts6 of %oern !ra"ic poetr$/ in orer to see 0hat features of the poe%s are lost in
translation4 Ghile the fiel of %oern literar$ anal$sis %a$ "e %uch researche into/ the
fiel of co%parati1e translation stuies is not4 !ppenices 94:2< 5pp4 9=29@6 are translations
of the poe%s in the %aterial/ an a co%parati1e reain& of the translations sho0s that the
for%al eLui1alence 5the eLui1alence of aesthetic ele%ents as 0ell as structure6 has "een
isfa1oure in fa1our of relatin& the K%eanin&K of the poe%s4 Of course/ these translations are
%ae for the antholo&ies in 0hich the poe%s are presente/ 0hich coul ha1e an effect on
their Lualit$4 Since the ai% of the antholo&ies partl$ is to present !ra"ic poetr$ to an En&lish
reaership 0hich is not e8pecte to kno0 !ra"ic/ the translations pro"a"l$ focus on
transferrin& the the%e or essence of the poe%/ an not the structure an for%4
!s %entione earlier poetr$ is a special literar$ &enre an a co%ple8 one in an$
lan&ua&e4 The the%e of the poe% is closel$ connecte to its lan&ua&e/ e1en to the point
0here one coul clai% that the %eanin& of poetr$ is the lan&ua&e use in the poe%4 The
i1ision of structure an %eanin& in poetr$ coul also "e seen as t0o %utuall$ inclusi1e
;@
parts of a 0hole/ 0here there can "e no unerstanin& of one 0ithout the other/ 0hich
%oti1ates the anal$sis of "oth4 *urther%ore one coul ask 0hat use there is for the result of
an anal$sis 0here the leit%otifs/ i%a&er$/ %etaphors an %eanin& of a poe% are ne&lecte4
-o0e1er/ the for% of a poe% Ftakes shape D444D fro% the content itself> 5,a$$usi/ )<::+?'=6
an is therefore a ke$ to unerstanin& it4
The in1esti&ation of the for%al features of the poe%s in the %aterial 0as not
e8hausti1e 2 the %etrical anal$sis coul "e %ae in %ore etail in a future stu$4 This stu$
coul thus "e seen as a necessar$ first step to further anal$sis of the poe%s/ for a fuller
unerstanin& of its %essa&e or the%e4 *or% an content are "oth crucial to the literar$
&enre of poetr$4 Ghen searchin& for the K%eanin&K of a poe%/ or a eeper insi&ht to it/ one
can either start 0ith interpretin& the poe% intuitionall$ an then turn to the for% to see ho0
the %eanin& is reali.e4 Or one can "e&in 0ith outlinin& the structure or the for%al
fra%e0ork of the poe%/ an fro% this perspecti1e &ain an unerstanin& of the content4 This
paper follo0e the latter approach/ an thus presents a first step to &ain insi&ht into the
co%ple8 area of %oern !ra"ic poetr$ an a sa%ple of ini1iual %oern !ra"ic poe%s4
*urther%ore/ 0hen consierin& the e1elop%ent of %oern !ra"ic poetr$ throu&h 1arious
sta&es of "reakin& free fro% the classical %etres an that the e1elop%ent of ne0 for%s in
%eanin& 0ere reali.e throu&h ne0 prosoic e1ices/ the i%portance of the for%al aspect of
%oern !ra"ic poetr$ e%er&es e1en %ore4
To su% up/ the present paper sho0e that the poe%s anal$se iffere in respect to
classical !ra"ic poetr$ in so%e aspects/ an rese%"le it in other4 The %a7or part of
s$%%etr$ an re&ularit$ that characteri.es the classical poe% 0as not foun in the %aterial4
The poetic lan&ua&e can "e sai to "e in a state of e1elop%ent to0ars a structurall$
si%pler approach4 Both the features of rh$%e an %etre 0ere foun to "e less for%ulaic in
the poe%s anal$se/ an %ore ini1iual4 Such an anal$sis as perfor%e here can "e fruitful
"oth in reain& poetr$ an translatin& the sa%e4
;<
4 List of references
=4) #ri%ar$ sources
!unis+ >al27ur> in +ictims of a ,ap 9 a 4ilin2ual &ntholo2y/ )<@=/ al2SaLi Books/ Conon
al2Sa$$a"/ Bar Shakir+ >al2nahr 0a al2%a0t> in al-am#l al-(ira al-k#mila P badr (#kir
al-sayy#b, '(((/ thir printin&/ d#r al-urriya lil-ib#a $a-l-na(r/ Ba&a
3ar0ish/ Mah%ou+ Flan Aa7arB> in +ictims of a ,ap 9 a 4ilin2ual &ntholo2y/ )<@=/ al2
SaLi Books/ Conon
=4' Seconar$ sources
!llen/ Ro&er4 )<<@/ The &rabic Literary Herita2e Ea%"ri&e Uni1ersit$ #ress/ Ea%"ri&e
Balick/ Ehris4 '((@/ Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms/ thir eition/ O8for Uni1ersit$
#ress+ O8for
Boullata/ I4,4 [ eIoun&/ T4 et al4 5e64 )<<:/ Tradition and ,odernity in &rabic literature/
Uni1ersit$ of !rkansas #ress/ *a$ette1ille
eIoun&/ Terri4 )<<@/ Placin2 the poet - 4adr :hkir al-:ayyb and Postcolonial ;raq/ State
Uni1ersit$ of Ne0 Iork #ress/ !l"an$
Ea&leton/ Terr$4 '((:/ Ho$ To <ead a Poem/ Black0ell #u"lishin&/ Malen
,a$$usi/ Sal%a Thara 5e464 )<@@/ ,odern &rabic Poetry/ Eolu%"ia Uni1ersit$ #ress/ Ne0
Iork
,a$$usi) Sal%a Thara4 )<::/ Trends and ,ovements in ,odern &rabic Poetry/ 1olu%e t0o/
E4,4 Brill/ Ceien
Cennar/ ,ohn4 '((?/ The Poetry Handbook/ O8for Uni1ersit$ #ress/ O8for
Meisa%i/ ,ulie Scott [ Starke$/ #aul4 )<<@/ %ncyclopedia of &rabic Literature/ 1ol4I2II/
Routle&e+ CononDNe0 Iork
Moreh/ Sh%uel4 )<:?/ ,odern &rabic Poetry -.// - -01// E4,4 Brill/ Ceien
Moreh/ Sh%uel4 )<:</ :tudies in ,odern &rabic Prose and Poetry/ E4,4 Brill/ Ceien
So%ekh/ Sasson4 )<<;/ =enre and lan2ua2e in modern &rabic literature/ Otto -arrasso0it./
Gies"aen
Starke$/ #aul4 '((?/ ,odern &rabic Literature/ Ein"ur&h Uni1ersit$ #ress/ Ein"ur&h
Gehr) -ans4 )<@(/ & Dictionary of ,odern >ritten &rabic/ thir printin&/ Ci"raire u Ci"an/
Gies"aen
Gri&ht/ Gillia%4 )<<?/ & =rammar of the &rabic Lan2ua2e/ thir eition/ Ci"raire u
Ci"an/ Gies"aen
=4; Unpu"lishe sources
Rets/ ,an4 '(('/ ?lassisk arabisk poesi6 ;ntroduktion6 ?ommentar till valda texter/
Gte"or&
=(
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94= alnahr !a alma!t" transcribed and scanned
1.
1. bu wayb a
2. bu wayb a
3. aj r su bur jin a f qa r ra til ba ar, b / / /
. al ! u fl ja r ri, wal "u r# bu fi a jar b / / /
$. wa tan i ul ja r ru aj r san !i nal !a %ar b / / /
&. bal l# ru ' ya (# bu f a nn ) / /
*. +bu way bu y bu wayb,-, a /
.. fay ya/ la 'i! !u f /a ! a nn ) / /
0. i lay 1a y bu wayb, a /
12. y na' ri yal a 3 na 1al !a %ar. b / /
11. a wa/ /u law a /aw tu f4 4a l! / / /
12. a a/ /u qab /a tay ya ta !i l ni aw qa ! / / / /
13. f 1ul li i5 ba in 1a an n a !a lun nu (#r 6 / / /
1. i lay 1a, !in qu! in wa !in 3u '#r. 6 / /
1$. a wa/ /u law u %il la !in a sir ra tit ti ll f / / /
1&. li al !a al qa !ar b /
1*. ya 7# u bay na if fa tay 1a, ya3 ra u4 4i ll f / / /
1.. wa ya! la us si ll f /
10. bil ! i wal as ! 1i wa3 3a 'ar. b / /
22. a wa/ /u law a 7# a f 1a, at ba ul qa !ar b / / /
21. wa as !a ul a 5 ya 5il lu !in 1a fl qa rr 8 / / /
22. 5a l la l fal a 5 f ri a l a jar. b / /
23. a " ba tun !i na/ /a !# i an ta a! na'r9 / / /
2. was sa !a 1us s 'i ru, 'al ya n !u fs sa ar9 b / / /
2$. wa ' (i 'in nu j# !u, 'al ta 4al lu fn ti 4r 8 / / /
2&. tu% i !u bil a r ri l fan !i nal a bar9 b / /
2*. wa an ta y bu wayb a /
2.. a wa/ /u law "a riq tu f 1a, al qi %ul !a r 8 / / /
20. u /u !in 'u /r 8 /
32. yu u f ' 7ura tal ! y 'i wa a jar b / / /
31. ! tan i un nu j# !u wal qa !ar, b / /
=@
32. wa a" ta / f 1a !a al ja3 ri i ll ba ar, b / / /
33. fal !aw tu la !un "a r bun yaf ta nu5 5i "r, 8 / / /
3. wa b bu '#l 7a fy yu 1 na f 1a, y bu wayb... a / / /
2.
3$. bu way bu y bu wayb, a /
3&. i r# na qa/ !a ay na, 1a/ /u '# ri 1ul li !. / / / /
3*. wal yaw !u, na yu% bi qu4 4a l! / / /
3.. wa as ta qir ru fs sa r ri /# na an a n! / / / /
30. wa ar 'a fu a ! ra: /aw tan i ls sa ar b / / /
2. !ur 'a fa tul "u 5# ni wa% %u y# ri wa; ;a !ar b / / /
1. a as su bi/ /a ! i wa/ /u !# i, 1al !a %ar b / / /
2. yan a u 'un nal la !ul a 3 n#: / /
3, aj r su !aw t f u r# q tur i ur ra nn, ) / / /
. fa ya/ la 'i! !u f /a ! a nn ) / /
$. i l ra 5 5a tin ya uq qu ;al ju '3 3u ! / / / /
&. a ! qa 5a/ r, 1al ja !i yu a lul i 4!. / / / /
*. a wa/ /u law a /aw tu a a /ul !u 1 fi n ) / / /
.. a a/ /u qab /a tay ya ;u! !a a5 fa ul qa /ar. b / / /
0. a wa/ /u law "a riq tu f /a ! i ll qa rr. 8 / / /
$2. li a !a lal ib a !a al ba ar b / /
$1. wa ab a ;al i y ti. in na !aw ti yan ti 5r, 8 / / /
949 "aljur" transcribed and scanned
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1. al wa ra qun n i !u ta tar r a / /
2. sa f na tul jur b /
3. wa3 3a !a nul ' li 1u !aj /al jur b / /
. wa a ja ru% % li u f a' / bi n ) / /
$. bu ay ra tan lil jur. b /
&. wal jur u fl ju s#r / /
=<
*. na ya %# lul qabr 6 /
.. na ya %# lu5 5abr 6 /
0. bay na a w fay ub bi n wa !aw ti n, wal jur b / / /
12. ! a tun, wal jur u fl u b#r. / / /
<<
11. li lu "a til !a7 n# qa til aj rs f / /
12. a! na u 5aw tal jur b /
13. lil a ja ril !uq bi li !in ba / 8 / /
1. lil la !il y bi si lil ya bs f / /
1$. li3 3a !a nil !a !# li f na q la til ja l/ 8 / / /
1&. a a lu n ral jur: b /
1*. wa na ! ya ta ri qat t r 7u f ;ay y b ' / / /
1.. wa tan bu tal a 4 fi ru3 3ar q u f 1i t b ' / / /
10. wa na ! a 5 a bin na 'r i / /
22. !an an ta, !an yar !ay 1a f /a f ti r / /
21. f ar i yal ba t#l9 1 /
22. al !a u f /a f ti r f ar i yal ba t#l 1 / / /
23. ay nay ni !in "u br i /
2. as !a u !an ya q#l: 1 /
2$. =a n 'u wal jur u la( ( ya 5r / / /
2&. ya1 ba ru f t r 7i 1a5 5a "r>. / / /
<<<
2*. sa! !ay tu 1as sa b l /
2.. y jur u y ya ! !a tar ra l ! / /
20. sa! !ay tu 1ar r a ta wal 1i tb l / /
32. wa a n ab ta /i ul i wr i / /
31. bay n wa bay nal lu "a tal a r qa' n / /
32. f ju 3u ril as fr i /
33. f ar 7a b lis saq %a til a r qa' n / /
3. wa ' a n u al li !ul i wr i / /
3$. lir r i wan na 7l ! /
3&. y jur u y ya ! na tur ra l. ! / /
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3.. !a r fi un law 1 na l sa f na' n / /
30. law an na l ba q y @ /
2. !a / na tin law an na l !a / na' n / /
1. f wa %a nil a% f li wal bu 1. A / /
2. la 5u" tu ' ( 1ul la '# lil jur b / /
3. a" n ya tan 1ar ru! b /
. ta7 ta ra qul a j ra wal i j ra was sa ! A / / /
$. lay ya na tan 1al ! A /
&. j !i a tan !a( '# la tan 1al fat. b / /
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.. y la !an !u 3ay ya nan bil ul !i wal a nn q / / /
0. a! %ir wa la 1in 'u3 3a n na nu na 7 lal jur b / / /
$2. wa1 sir li n "u5 nayn r /
$1. !in a ja rin ya a qu 5a! tal jur b / /
$2. !in a ja rin yas 'a ru faw qal jur b / /
$3. !u qaw wu sil a' / bi wal ya /ayn. r / /
$. y la !an !u 3ay ya nan bil ul !i wal a nn q / / /
$$. y la !an yas qu %u f ja b n / /
$&. !ur ta si !an 1al jur b /
$*. l taq ta rib aq ra bu !in 1al jur b / /
$.. l tu" ri n aj !a lu !in 1al jur b / /
$0. wa (al li 1as si ru la( ( ra !at '# / /
&2. ay n 1a fl !a ! li 1il a 7 ra' n / /
&1. !ar ra a lay 'il jur b /
&2. !ar ra fa la! yat ru1 la '# i r an s / /
&3. ya" w wa la! yat ru1 la '# ja 3 ra'. n / /
9)
94? "lan #ajar$" transcribed and scanned
1. ri un w /i un a / /
2. wa bin t# b
3. 7a ra jat tu a lul qa !ar ) / /
. wa bi l /un ba /a tun a / /
$. wa bi l /un bi l a ;ar. ) / /
&. ul !un ! li un a / /
*. wa 5aw t# b
.. ya fi rul 7a5 ra fl a jar ) / /
0. i( 'a b y a b ba t 6 / /
12. faw qa ri! a wal wa tar. ) / /
11. qa !a run j ri un a / /
12. wa 5a! t# b
13. ya1 si rur r a wal !a %ar ) / /
1. yaj a lun na' ra ib ra tan / /
1$. f ya /in tan su ju a jar. ) / /
1&. i %un s bi un a / /
1*. wa bay t# b
1.. ya7 ta f 1ul la ! 4a 'ar ) / /
10. rub ba ! yaq ta l# na n / /
22. aw ya # na fl !a !ar. ) / /
21. 4a !a nun f i un a / /
22. wa !awt
23. ya ta ' n i ( a bar ) / /
2. in ta ' l ni 1ul li ay in / /
2$. waq ta rab n !i nan na'r / /
2&. in ta 'at ri la tul "a jar ) / /
2*. wa ta ab n !i nas sa far. ) / /
28. ri un w i un a / /
9'
20. wa bin tun a
32. 7a ra jat tul 5a qu5 5u war ) / /
31. faw qa ji/ r ni ju; ;a t 6 / /
32. wa 7i y ! ba /a tun a / /
33. wa 7i y !un bi l a ;ar ) / /
9;
94: Death and the %i&er"
Bu0a$"444
Bu0a$"444
Bells of a to0er lost in the sea "e
usk in the trees/ 0ater in the 7ars
spillin& rain "ells
cr$stals %eltin& 0ith a si&h
FBu0a$" ah Bu0a$"/>
an a lon&in& in %$ "loo arkens
for $ou Bu0a$"/
ri1er of %ine/ forlorn as the rain4
I 0ant to run in the ark
&rippin& %$ fists ti&ht
carr$in& the lon&in& of a 0hole $ear
in each fin&er/ like so%eone "rin&in& $ou
&ifts of 0heat an flo0ers4
I 0ant to peer across the crests of the hills/
catch si&ht of the %oon
as it 0aes "et0een $our "anks/ plantin& shao0s
fillin& "askets
0ith 0ater an fish an flo0ers4
I 0ant to plun&e into $ou/ follo0in& the %oon/
hear the pe""les hiss in $our epths/
si"ilance of a thousan "irs in the trees4
!re $ou a ri1er or a forest of tearsO
!n the inso%niac fish/ 0ill the$ sleep at a0nO
!n these stars/ 0ill the$ stop an 0ait
feein& thousans of neeles 0ith silkO
!n $ou Bu0a$"444
I 0ant to ro0n in $ou/ &atherin& shells/
"uilin& a house 0ith the%/ 0here the o1erflo0
fro% stars an %oon
soaks into the &reen of trees an 0ater\/
an 0ith $our e"" in the earl$ %ornin& &o to the sea4
9=
*or eath is a stran&e 0orl fascinatin& to chilren/
an its oor 0as in $ou/ %$sterious/ Bu0a$"444
Bu0a$" ah Bu0a$"444
t0ent$ $ears has passe/ each one a lifeti%e4
!n this a$ 0hen the ark closes in/
0hen I lie still an o not sleep/
an listen 0ith %$ conscience keen P a &reat tree
reachin& to0ar first li&ht/ sensiti1e
its "ranches/ "irs/ an fruit P
I feel like rain the "loo/ the tears
she "$ the sa 0orlJ
%$ eath "ells rin& an shake %$ 1eins/
an in %$ "loo a lon&in& arkens
for a "ullet 0hose eal$ ice
%i&ht plou&h throu&h %$ soul in its epths/ hell
settin& the "ones a"la.e4
I 0ant to run out an link hans 0ith others in the stru&&le/
clench %$ fists an strike *ate in the face4
I 0ant to ro0n in %$ eepest "loo
that I %a$ share 0ith the hu%an race its "uren
an carr$ it on0ar/ &i1in& "irth to life4
M$ eath
shall "e a 1ictor$4
Translation+ Cena ,a$$usi an Ehristopher Mileton 5,odern &rabic Poetry/ )<@@6
94@ 'he (ound"
I
The lea1es sleepin& uner the 0ins
!re "oats for the 0oun4
The "urie past is the &lor$ of the 0oun4
The trees &ro0in& in $our e$elashes
!re lakes for the 0oun4
99
The 0oun is in the crosspoint
Ghen the &ra1e reaches
Ghen patience reaches
The tips of our lo1e/ our eath4
The 0oun is a si&n
The 0oun is in the crossin&4
II
I &i1e the 1oice of the 0oun
To a speech 0ith choke "ells4
I li&ht the fire of the 0oun4
*or a stone co%in& fro% far a0a$/
*or a rie up 0orl/ for rou&ht/
*or ti%e carrie on a stretcher of ice4
Ghen histor$ "urns in %$ clothes/
!n "lue nails &ro0 in %$ "ook/
Ghen I shout at a$li&ht
FGho are $ou/ 0hoNs thro0n $ou on %$ "ooks/
On %$ 1ir&in lanO>
I see in %$ "ooks/ in %$ 1ir&in lan
E$es of ust4
I hear so%eone sa$in&+
FI a% the flourishin& 0oun
Of $our s%all histor$4>
III
I ha1e calle $ou a clou/
Goun/ turtle2o1e of eparture4
I ha1e calle $ou a feather an a "ook4
!n here I a% startin& con1ersation
Gith a no"le 0or
In the shiftin& of islans/
9?
In the archipela&o of the no"le fall4
!n here I a% teachin& con1ersation
To the 0in an pal% trees/
Goun/ turtle2o1e of eparture4
IV
If I ha ha1ens in a countr$ of %irrors an rea%s/
If I ha a ship/
If I ha the re%ains of a cit$/
Or a cit$
In a countr$ of chilren an 0eepin&
IN ha1e %ae out of all this for the 0oun
! son& like a spear
#iercin& trees/ stones an hea1en/
!n soft as 0ater/
O1erpo0erin& an a%a.in& like a conLuest4
V
Rain on our eserts/
Gorl char&e 0ith a rea% an lon&in&4
Rain an shake us/ 0e the pal% trees of the 0oun/
!n snap t0o "ranches for us
*ro% the trees that lo1e the silence of the 0oun/
*ro% the trees that sta$ a0ake o1er the 0oun
Gith arche e$elashes an hans4
Gorl char&e 0ith a rea% an lon&in&/
Gorl fallin& on %$ forehea
!n ra0n like a 0oun/
3onNt co%e closer/ the 0oun is nearer than $ou/
3onNt te%pt %e/ the 0oun is %ore "eautiful than $ou4
The 0oun is "e$on the fate
Iour e$es cast
On the lost ci1ili.ations4
9:
ItNs left no sails
Nor islans4
Translation+ !"ullah al2Uhari 5+ictims of a ,ap/ )<@=6
94< A )ypsy *elody"
! clear street
! &irl
Goes out to li&ht the %oon/
!n the countr$ is far a0a$/
! countr$ 0ithout a trace4
! sour rea%
! 1oice
Ehisels a 0aist in a stone4
Go/ %$ lo1e/
On %$ e$elashes or the &uitar strin&s4
! preator$ %oon
The silence
Breaks the 0in an the rain/
Turns the ri1er into a neele
In a han 0ea1in& trees4
! floatin& 0all
! house
3isappears after it has "een seen
Ma$"e the$ 0ill kill us
Or lose their 0a$ in the alle$0a$4
! scanalous a&e
! eath
3esires us 0hile passin& throu&h4
E1er$thin& is finishe no04
9@
GeNre &ettin& closer to the ri1er
The &$ps$Ns 7ourne$ has co%e to an en4
Ge are tire of tra1ellin&4
! clear street
! &irl
Goes out to stick pictures
On %$ "o$Ns 0all/
!n %$ tents are far a0a$/
Tents 0ithout a trace4
Translation+ !"ullah al2Uhari 5+ictims of a ,ap/ )<@=6
9<