The Arabic Prose Poem in Iraq

Abstract

The emergence of the Arabic prose poem in its early embryonic forms in the early 20th century and in its mature phase in the 1960s was a radical break with an established poetic tradition going back to the 6th century C.E. There are two major “schools”: The Lebanese School and the Iraqi School. The most influential representative of the Lebanese school is the Syrian-Lebanese poet and critic Adunis (1928–). His poems and translations from French were very influential in expanding literary horizons and shaping the debate about the Arabic prose poem. The Iraqi School was more influenced by Anglophone, and particularly American poetry. Its most representative figure is Sargon Boulus (1940–2008). His early translations from English and American poetry which started in the 1960s and continued until his death were transformative in Iraq and elsewhere in the Arab world and influenced generations of poet. Both Boulus and the Iraqi School are grossly under-researched. The main focus of this essay is on the prose poem in Iraq paying particular attention to Boulus who is a pioneer poet and translator.