Baquba

Poet Karim Al-Qaisi launches second collection with maqam recitations in Diyala

DIYALA — The Union of Writers and Authors in Diyala hosted a literary event in Baquba celebrating the release of poet Karim Al-Qaisi’s second collection, “The Gate of Al-Sayyab”.

Attendees were treated to a unique performance as Al-Qaisi recited his poems using the maqam style, instead of standard poetic delivery.

“This collection, which I titled ‘The Gate of Al-Sayyab’, is my second. My first was ‘The Prison of Jilnar’, and I have a third collection in the works, along with two novels,” Al-Qaisi told 964media. He credited the support of the Unions of Writers and Authors in both Diyala and Baghdad, noting that his latest work explores intertextuality and includes traditional Arabic poems written in the metric system of Al-Khalil bin Ahmed Al-Farahidi.

The metric system of Al-Farahidi forms the foundational structure of Arabic prosody, using specified patterns of meters and rhythms in traditional verse.

Poet and author Ali Al-Labeeb praised Al-Qaisi as “one of the most talented poets we have, with a range of abilities spanning journalism, arts, music, and literature.” Al-Labeeb highlighted Al-Qaisi’s distinctive approach: reciting his work with maqam, a system of melodic modes in Middle Eastern music.

Academic and critic Fadhel Al-Tamimi lauded Al-Qaisi’s versatility in classical, free verse, and prose poetry. “He is an intellectual figure who studied poetry and metrics under esteemed professors,” Al-Tamimi said, adding that The Gate of Al-Sayyab integrates social, political, and intellectual themes.

Al-Qaisi’s new collection draws inspiration from the legacy of renowned Iraqi poet Badr Shakir Al-Sayyab, born in Jaykur, Basra in 1926. Al-Sayyab, widely regarded as a pioneer of Arabic free verse, died in 1964 at age 38.

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