Adnan Al-Sayegh (right), holding a vintage copy of one of his poetry collections, during an event at Al-Jawahiri House in Baghdad. (Photo: 964media).
'For sorrow has a window, my lady, in the heart'
Poetry and literary criticism unite at Al-Jawahiri House ahead of Arabic Language Day
BAGHDAD — A poetry and critical dialogue session was held on Monday at the Al-Jawahiri House in the Al-Qadisiyah area of western Baghdad to mark UN Arabic Language Day. The event featured the expat poet Adnan Al-Sayegh, whose works and publications were highlighted by attendees, including scholars, intellectuals, and poets.
UN Arabic Language Day is observed annually on Dec. 18 to celebrate the richness and cultural significance of the Arabic language. It marks the day in 1973 when Arabic was adopted as one of the United Nations’ official working languages.
The session, organized by Saad Mohammed Al-Tamimi, featured contributions from Mohammed Abdul Ridha Shia and other prominent cultural figures.
“I am very pleased to be at the Al-Jawahiri House,” Al-Sayegh told 964media. “It is an honor to have an evening session alongside Dr. Mohammed Abdul Ridha Shia and hosted by our dear friend Dr. Saad Mohammed Al-Tamimi.”
Al-Sayegh shared insights into his journey in poetry and criticism, including a memorable reading from his various works. “I was astonished when a friend brought a rare copy of my 1986 collection, Songs on the Bridge of Kufa, [the cover of which was] designed by the late artist Balsam Mohammed. Coincidentally, his daughter was present, which made the moment especially poignant.”
Al-Sayegh recited lines from a poem written in 1981:
“For sorrow has a window, my lady, in the heart,
Evenings are full of poems and light.
The wine of my sorrows is ancient—will my heart drink it,
When each wound carries a chalice?”
“Poetry is the soul that unites the world; it is the language of existence. Now, as we sit in Al-Jawahiri House, it feels as though poetry always brings us together,” Al-Sayegh added.
He recalled his roots in Kufa, near Al-Jawahiri’s birthplace, and his later migration to Baghdad before leaving Iraq in 1993 due to pressures from the former Baath regime.
Al-Jawahiri, born in 1899 in Najaf, was raised in a family deeply rooted in scholarship and literature. From a young age, he memorized a substantial collection of classical Arabic poetry. He passed away in Damascus in 1997 and is regarded as one of the greatest Arab poets of the 20th century.
Visiting the Al-Jawahiri House for the first time, prominent theater director Ghanem Hameed expressed admiration for the venue’s historical and poetic significance. Speaking to 964media, he praised the cultural gathering and Al-Sayegh’s contributions to poetry and literature.
Mohammed Abdul Ridha Shia, a writer, critic, and academic, described the session as an engaging dialogue on poetry and criticism. He explored the dynamics of poetry writing, referencing literary theories by Julia Kristeva, Roland Barthes, Gaston Bachelard, and Jacques Lacan. “I spoke about the creative self that splits into two entities during the writing process: one that writes and another that listens for resonance and echo.”
Shia also reflected on French literary theorist Barthes’s concept of the “death of the author,” emphasizing that “the birth of the reader depends on the death of the author.”
