UAE live poetry

p&g is in Dubai for the next week seeking out some local poetry.

Get in touch if you know where we should look.

Being a poet in UAE is a respected and sometimes quite lucrative profession - remember Nabati Poet Idol (http://poetandgeek.blogspot.it/2012/02/nabati-poet-idol.html). And poetry itself is also the subject of well-funded academic research in the Emirates.

p&g has a consistent fascination in Arabic poetic forms and how some drifted into western consciousness through the Islamic kingdom of Spain - of which we have spoken a little bit before here http://poetandgeek.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/muwashshah-poetry.html. And indeed Madrid is our next destination.

Plus we note that publications of translated pre-20th century Arabic poetry in its pure forms seem to bring out the Rudyard Kipling in the translators - I guess it is the desire to emulate the elaborate structure - we are sure there is good work being done maybe into languages other than English? French or Spanish? Again we would love to hear about this.

And beyond that we are hoping to have a thoroughly good time obviously...

Last call for poetry for poetandgeek.com Issue 9

The big p&g issue 9 is waiting for your contribution but don't dawdle. As the deadline is 30th September and we are imminently off to hunt out some Nabati poetry in UAE.

All the fun of the fair! Haven't seen us yet? Then all will be revealed here http://www.poetandgeek.com/.

poetandgeek.com in UAE

poetandgeek.com is in UAE this September: can you tell us where to find or hear Nabati poetry?

What is the poetry itinerary in the Emirates? Are there any poet's houses that must not be missed? What else?

You know what we like so let us know.

Nabati poetry anthology

This anthology of Nabati poetry comes from Ithaca Press. And was recently runner-up in the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies Book Prize 2012.

The anthology was commended. "The translations work fabulously in English, showing a range of style, technique, sensitivity to the tone and historical context of the original. The work with rhyme schemes is nothing short of astounding!'

We have discussed Nabati poetry before here at poetandgeek.com. Poems emanate from the everyday people of the Arabian peninsula (and are shown on tv) and don't follow strict literary Arabic forms (the Quran is written according to these rules).

Some contend that there is a class element to Nabati poetry: "It is commonly translated as "vernacular, popular", but this may suggest that this type of poetry is the domain of uneducated, "backwards" segments of society, waiting to be eradicated by general progress towards modern standard Arabic. While purists may see it that way, the facts are otherwise."

See here http://www.brismes.ac.uk/book-prize, and here http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/books/the-nabati-poetry-of-the-uae-a-remarkable-anthology and here for more http://poetandgeek.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/nabati-poet-idol.html.

Nabati poet idol

Abu Dhabi Poetry Academy plays a key role in investigating and documenting Arabic poetry as well as "rehabilitating it as a modern literary genre".

Unusually the academy has its roots in tv talent shows. ‘Poetry in the area was initially very popular among the people,’ Sultan Al Amimi who is the head of the academy and a tv judge, ‘the shows - Million's Poet and Prince of Poets - just made poetry available to the masses. It reaches people all over the Arab world and makes them a part of the poetry, a part of the competition. Everyone can relate to the poems in one way or another, and it captures the hearts of viewers old and young, rich or poor.’

Abdul Aziz al Zoraei, from Yemen, was crowned the victor of the latter television show’s fourth season. He won Dh1 million in cash, in addition to the “Princely Gown” and the “Princely Ring”.

Behind the tv glitz, the academy shapes its innovative cultural role for Arabic poetry through academic research, competitions and readings. The ultimate mission of the Academy is to enhance communication and interaction between researchers and poets.

More on the Prince of Poets here http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/prince-of-poets-title-goes-to-yemeni-scholar and the Nabati poetry academy here http://www.adach.ae/en/portal/poetry.academy.aspx.

Nabati poetry contest in UAE

The competition will exhibit artistic images in three categories:

• the most beautiful Nabati poem in describing the bird (falcon),
• the most beautiful Nabati poem in describing Mignas (hunting)
• and the most beautiful Nabati poem which discusses loss of the bird.

The participating poems must be submitted via e-mail to adihex@adach.ae . The total value of the prizes is 135,000 UAE dirhams. The winner in every category gets an AED of 20,000, while the runner up gets AED 15,000 and third place finalist receiving AED 10,000. The Exhibition's High Organizing Committee also grants the winners appreciation certificates. Deadline is September 7th 2011. The competition is meant for poets of Gulf Cooperation Council nations and Arab Nabati poets.

More on the poetry contest here:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/heritage-culture/registration-begins-for-nabati-poetry-contest-in-uae-1.829307

http://www.asiawrites.org/2011/06/nabati-poetry-competition-poetry.html