Description
Book SynopsisSatirical verse on society and its hypocrisies
A master of satire known for his ribald humor, self-deprecation, and invective verse (hija?), the poet ?medan al-Shwe?ir was an acerbic critic of his society and its morals. Living in the Najd region of the Arabian Peninsula, ?medan wrote in an idiom widely referred to as Naba?i, here a mix of Najdi vernacular and archaic vocabulary and images dating to the origins of Arabic poetry. In Arabian Satire, ?medan is mostly concerned with worldly matters and addresses these in different guises: as the patriarch at the helm of the family boat and its unruly crew; as a picaresque anti-hero who revels in taking potshots at the established order, its hypocrisy, and its failings; as a peasant who labors over his palm trees, often to no avail and with no guarantee of success; and as a poet recording in verse how he thinks things ought to be.
The poems in Arabian Satire reveal a plucky, headstrong, yet intensely
Trade Review
Colorful contrasts abound. . . . Quite entertaining. * The Complete Review *
[Ḥmēdān's] gift for the memorable turn of phrase has ensured that his poetry has never been forgotten… A handsomely produced volume of 'melodic verses that swell and roll / like roaring waves on a pitch-black sea.' * IASA Bulletin *
