ROOTED IN LOVE AND LONGING - THE POEMS OF SHEIKH MOHAMMED

Reviewed by Omar Shariff

Deputy Editor, Weekend Review

‘Poems from the Desert’ offers insights into the

heart of a ruler and heritage of a nation

While reading poems translated from another

language, there is always a thought in the back
of the mind: How much of the meaning was lost
in translation? But the translator of Poems from
the Desert, a collection by His Highness Sheikh
Mohammad Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice-
president and Prime Minister of the UAE and
Ruler of Dubai, seems to have done a good job
as the verses are rich in imagery and allegory.
Sheikh Mohammad writes in the Nabati style that
has existed in the Arabian Peninsula since the
Middle Ages. Nabati poetry is also called
“people’s poetry”, for it is easy for the masses to
understand, since it is written in a dialect similar
to their own. It is said that a few hundred years
ago, this form of poetry was sometimes the only
formal record of events in the Gulf region. It is a
strong tradition, beloved of the inhabitants of the
peninsula, passed on from one generation to
another. It is an oral custom that records the life
situations that the people of this region faced
before the onset of the modern era.
Little wonder then that this collection of
27 poems is so easily accessible – and clear in The poet often refers to the lover as a
its meaning. Lost love, passion, yearning, “pearl”. Pearls have a special significance in
beauty, the pain of separation, the desire for Emirati culture as diving for these precious
justice – these are some of the themes found stones was considered a noble pursuit. The
throughout the book. The poems reflect the pearls themselves were greatly valued and in
thoughts of a man deeply in love with his desert Sheikh Mohammad’s collection, a pearl is used
roots. as a metaphor for someone of rare beauty.
Many of his poems deal with One of the best poems in the collection
unrequited love – love which is not is Zayed, which is also one of the longest. In this,
reciprocated, though it is dearly desired. In Sheikh Mohammad shows his admiration and
Affection in Your Eyes, the poet laments: You respect for the UAE’s late founder and first
have met my undying fervor with silence/Why president, Sheikh Zayed.
would you respond when you deny I exist? /Oh! Your essence even when you are not
The agony those avoiding eyes have there/Rises above your people and I/When
caused/They stole my sleep and were gone. every form of poetry failed to portray you/I tried
Sheikh Mohammad often uses the to search for flaws within you/Yet the truth on
words “hunt” and “gazelle” in his poems, your face was clear and apparent/With honour it
highlighting the preponderance of the desert was filled and nobility supreme.
themes in the collection. In Arab culture, when a The first poem in the book, A Mother’s
woman is compared to a gazelle, it is an Lament, dwells not only on the themes of justice
illustration of her beauty, as the gazelle is a and the responsibilities of a leader but also on a
beautiful creature. Given the stark realities of mother’s enduring love for a son who has
desert life, hunting was a common profession. It mistreated her.
was done to fulfill basic needs. In verse, ‘hunting’ Poems from the Desert gives us an
became associated with fulfilling another need insight into Sheikh Mohammad the man. As
for love. Paulo Coelho observes in his forward to the
book: “Writing is an act of courage. But it’s worth
taking the risk, and His Highness’s poems help
us to understand better the soul of a man and the heritage of a nation.”

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ROOTED IN LOVE AND LONGING – THE POEMS OF SHEKH MOHAMMED [25]

A. Instructions: Answer the following questions IN YOUR OWN WORDS as far as you can.

1. What exactly is Poems from the Desert and who wrote it? [1]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. What, in the collection of poems proves that the meaning has not been lost in translation? [1]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Why is Nabati poetry called “people’s poetry? [2]

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. How has Nabati poetry been preserved over the years? [1]
______________________________________________________________________________

5. How does the writer describe the poems? Give TWO details. [2]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

6. What is the writer of the poems reflecting on when he writes his poems? [1]
______________________________________________________________________________

7. In Affection in Your Eyes, how has the poet been affected by the rejection of the one he loves?
Give TWO details. [2]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

8. In a poem, what is hunting associated with? [1]

______________________________________________________________________________

9. In a poem, what is gazelle associated with? [1]

______________________________________________________________________________

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 10. What does pearl mean when used as a metaphor? [1]
______________________________________________________________________________

11. In the poem Zayed, give TWO details of how Sheikh Mohammad describes the late Sheikh
Zayed? [2]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

12. What are the three themes of A Mother’s Lament? [3]

a. ____________________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________________

B. Instructions: Circle the correct meaning of the words as they appear in the article. [7]

1. imagery and allegory

a. noun and adjective b. description and symbolism c. verb and adverb d. black and white

2. yearning
a. longing b. yawning c. eating d. enduring

3. roots
a. courage b. illustration c. ancestry d. affection

4. unrequited
a. displeased b. not recent c. dishonorable d. not returned

5. preponderance
a. pride b. frequency c. fish d. description

6. stark
a. silly b. fruitful c. hunting d. harsh

7. flaws
a. faults b. characteristics c. elephants d. sands

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ROOTED IN LOVE AND LONGING – THE POEMS OF SHEKH MOHAMMED – MODEL ANSWERS
 A. Instructions: Answer the following questions IN YOUR OWN WORDS as far as you can.

1. What exactly is Poems from the Desert and who wrote it? [1]
It is a book of desert poems written by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed

2. What, in the collection of poems proves that the meaning has not been lost in translation? [1]
The translation is rich in imagery and allegory.

3. Why is Nabati poetry called “people’s poetry? [2]

It has existed in the Arabian Peninsula since the Middle Ages [1]
and it is easy for everyone (the masses) to understand. [1]

4. How has Nabati poetry been preserved over the years? [1]
It has been passed down from generation to generation.

5. How does the writer describe the poems? Give 2 details. [2]
Easily accessible and clear in meaning.

6. What is the writer of the poems reflecting on when he writes his poems? [1]
He is thinking about his desert roots.

7. In Affection in Your Eyes, how has the poet been affected by the rejection of
the one he loves? Give 2 details. [2]
He has been in agony and he has not been able to sleep.

8. In a poem, what is hunting associated with? [1]

Hunting is associated with fulfilling another need for love than the actual profession.

9. In a poem, what is gazelle associated with? [1]

Gazelle is associated with a woman’s beauty.

10. What does pearl mean when used as a metaphor? [1]

A pearl represents someone of rare beauty

11. In the poem Zayed, give TWO details of how Sheikh Mohammad describes the late Sheikh Zayed [2]
Admiration and respect.

12. What are the three themes of A Mother’s Lament? [3]

Justice, the responsibilities of a leader, a mother’s enduring love for a son who has mistreated her.

B. Instructions: Circle the correct meaning of the words as they appear in the article. [7]

1. imagery and allegory b. description and symbolism

2. yearning a. longing

3. roots c. ancestry

4. unrequited d. not returned

5. preponderance a. pride

6. stark d. harsh

7. flaws a. faults