Q) How does it feel to look at your motherland from a distance for so many years? Don’t you think you are in a way, escaping Iraq’s struggle for peace?

Well, firstly, I don’t feel I am in any way escaping my country’s struggle for peace. Over the past three years, I have been back every year. The first time I stayed for about two months. The second time I stayed for around a month. On my last visit, I was in Iraq for only ten days. Throughout my three visits, I have been invited by the Iraqi Writers Union to attend the biggest literary festival in the Arab world, called ‘Al Marbid’, run and organised by the Iraqi Writers Union. In 2005, I am honoured to say, the festival was held in my name. On my last visit I was one of the only poets, aside from maybe two others to attend the festival, who had returned from exile. This was because the situation is getting worse and more dangerous by the year.

So I am not, therefore, out of touch with the events there. In fact if you consider these circumstances difficult for me, it is by far more difficult for my children.

Q) Poetry usually has a therapeutic effect on society. How do you think you can alleviate Iraq from its ongoing political and social mayhem?

I don’t have the illusion that my poetry has a therapeutic affect on society. The political and social mayhem can be alleviated through many reasons, maybe poetry is one of these reasons, however it is not by any means the most significant. This doesn’t mean that poetry doesn’t have any effect at all, but instantaneously it will have an affect on the individual, as opposed to the nation. Its social affects require years, and are not as immediate.

Q) It was so interesting to discover such a rich gamut of literature from the Middle East. Have you had any poetry published since 2002? Why not?

Thank you very much for your appreciation of my work, it genuinely means a lot to me. Since 2002, I have published a number of poetry collections, books and done some translating. In terms of the collections; in 2002 I published ‘Kifa Nebki’ (which translated means ‘Halt-Let Us Weep’-taken from a famous Ancient Arabic Poet), ‘Zihariat’ in 2005, and ‘The Feast of the Funeral’ in 2007. ‘Zihariat’ is a type of poetry similar in form to sonnets, written in Iraqi dialect. I used this form in my collection, and fused it with classical Arabic (the written and literary form). I also wrote a collection of short stories in 2004 entitled ‘The Insane do not Tire’.

I was involved in ‘The Poet Outside the Text’ in 2007. This was an interview and discussion with Moroccan writer and poet Abdul Kader Al-Jamousi and myself, based on my poetry and life, which concluded in a book being written.

In addition to the collections and texts, I have also done some translating, which I have been doing for many years now. I translated the collection ‘The Taste of Mountains’ originally by Japanese poet Santoka in 2006, from English into Arabic.

In 2006 I also translated and adapted Stravinsky’s ‘A Soldier’s Tale’ into a play from French (Charles Ferdinand Ramuz) into Arabic, which was presented at the Old Vic Theatre (Directed by Andrew Steggal) in London. This was performed on stage in both Arabic and English adaptations, which is very experimental, as it was on stage in both languages at once, which hadn’t been done before, and the screenplay was kept in verse, and performed in verse also.

Q) Your poems are so deep, yet the language is essentially egalitarian. Tell us something on your style.

By your question you have identified the essential feature behind my poetry; the deep subjects, combined with the egalitarian language. In this way, I believe that the poet can reflect even then most complex issues without falling into complexity in order to be more effective and have more of an impact. This does not mean I deliberately want the language to be ‘simple’ per se, sometimes the topic lends itself to a simpler interpretation. Sometimes the clearest poems can be the most complex, especially for those who are familiar with the complexity. I never write my poems with a premeditated idea of forms, every poem individually suggests its own form, as the poem begins to take shape, its form emerges suddenly. This actually surprises me as though my poems were being written by another poet! In my opinion, everything in life can be a subject of poetry, there are thousands and thousands of forms, as there are thousands and thousands of subjects. In this way, poetry always remains creative and exciting, as it works with life as a whole. This is the great novelty of poetry.

Q) ‘Twelve Epigrams’ is a masterpiece in it itself. Please comment.

These epigrams is part of a collection entitled ‘The Satire of Stones’, the collection is currently in print, I think it may have been published by now. I tried in these Epigrams, to concise my experiences in exile in short witty sayings, not as maxims, but as poems with different atmospheres, attitudes, descriptions, stories; in short with the small details of everyday life. I think that the details are very necessary in order to differentiate poetry from maxims, and especially familiar maxims, as it gives poems relativity, rather than absolution.

Q) Your poem ‘Game’ (2002) reaches the peak of suggestive poetry. Is there a particular incident that prompted you to compose this short but intense piece?

I feel happy to hear you saying that my poem reaches the peak of suggestive poetry. In regards to your question, yes, there is a particular incident. I wrote this poem after the death of my wife, the other poems published alongside it, such as ‘Shadows’ and ‘That Death’ are also about this topic, although I wrote ‘That Death’ throughout my wife’s illness. All these three poems are part of a collection, ready to be printed, all about the passing of a loved one, which will bear the name of my wife.

Q) Why have you never thought of sharing your work with the Indian book lover? I think you will have a large readership in this part of the subcontinent.

I am delighted to hear you say this, and suggest I will have a reader base there. I am more than happy to share my work in India. I consider your question as being an invitation.

Q) Tell us something about the literary tastes and current trends that mark Iraq’s literary scene at the moment.

I don’t think there are current trends, and it is difficult to conclude the general literary tastes in a few simple words, because Iraqi writers are now all over the globe. Therefore there are many figures, many experiences, and many points of view. I think in general there is a movement; it is not stagnant, which to me is the most important thing. Some of the Iraqi writers now write in many languages, and this, in the future, is going to be a great influence, not only on Iraqi literature, but also on Arabic literature.

Q) Where do you see Iraq 10 years from now?

What is occurring in the country now, I think is temporary, although it is hard to say it will not still influence Iraq in ten years time. What I do know, just from being in the country, is that the people are continuing life as normal, the political and internal struggles cannot defeat the essence of life itself. People still go to work, school, shop at markets, see family, friends. When we were there for the festival, thousands attended, and embraced our presence with much kindness and appreciation. Having power does not mean having reality, people still love life, and this is the important thing to remember. The history of Iraq, Mesopotamia, is the history of sciences, progress and ideas, this cannot be eradicated. I don’t see any future for the extremist religious fractions, because they are against life itself.

Q) Poets you grew up reading –

I grew up reading my poetic heritage; the Arabic poets, plus poets from ancient civilisations (Sumerian and Babylonian poetry). As well as this I read poetry from across the world. In my career I have translated many poets from French into Arabic including; Aragon, Eluard, Saint-John Perse, Guillevic, as well as others. I have also translated many English poets. I am fond of reading the poetry from all nations, large or small. I am particularly interested in Eastern/Oriental poetry.

Q) Have you read works of any Indian poet/author?

Yes of course. I have read the great Indian epics; Mahabharata, Ramayana, Love songs of Vidyapati, and other ancient Indian poets, also Tagore and Kabir, and the contemporary Indian poetry in many anthologies. The last poet I read was Shanta Acharya. Last year I revised the translation of Mahabharata with my friend, Moroccan Writer, Abdul-Kader Al Jamoosi, whom I mentioned earlier in the interview (as he interviewed me for the book ‘Poet outside the Text’). The text I revised was not the original text, but the text adopted by Peter Brook. I have actually myself written two poems about Tagore, one in my collection ‘The Bags’, and another one I wrote a while ago.

Q) Have you ever been to India? If yes, what was the experience like?

No, I have never been to India.

Q) One book that has changed your life …

What has changed my life are the bad events that my country has witnessed. Unfortunately, it seems to be the bad things that have changed my life!

Q) A few words for Rhyme or Reason …

I am very pleased at this interaction between Rhyme or Reason and myself, and hope we can continue to exchange our ideas and cultural experiences. I am aiming to finish some of more of my poetry in order for the readers of Rhyme and Reason, and the Indian audiences to read and hopefully enjoy! I hope to send you some more of my poetry once it is completed. I am pleased that Arabic poetry resonates with different audiences, and hope this continues to in a positive way.

To know more about the poet and his poems, click here.

Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke of two classes of poets - the poets by education whom we respect, and poets by nature, whom we love. Click here for a very personal and introspective tryst with the ones who lace our lives with passion, beauty and hope.

Interviewed by Devapriya Banerjee Designed by Subhadip Mukherjee Desert Photo by Abel Molina