Thursday, February 12, 2009

A Pleasure in Poetry

i write poems. silly, simple ones.
does that make me a poet?


come march, dubai will host the first ever Dubai International Poetry Festival with the theme, A Thousand Poets, One Language. this theme captures the essence of poetry as a bridge between cultures - transcending language, nationality, race and social background.

it was established on July 23, 2008 by his highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of dubai. dubai being ambitious as always has already planned for five successive annual festivals.

the handsome ruler of dubai in his lepak pose

WHAT

dubai aims to make this an annual event that will feature
  • soirees - evening partay!
  • forums
  • workshops - write own poems?
  • poetry readings - mostly to introduce various forms of classical and contemporary arabic poetry; the Nabati poetry, an indigenous form of verse unique to mid east countries
  • live performances - yay!
  • seminars - yawn!

WHEN
it will run from 4th - 10th of march - honey, we can do it as your birthday thing - mr. khairul's birthday falls on march 8th. although, it'd be something that i am most likely to enjoy more than him! definitely!

i can already imagine him mocking this idea with him spewing 'thee's and 'thou's and over dramatizing 'the stars...the mountains...the moon...' crap. i just need him to understand that poetry can just be about 2 lines that doesn't have to be sappy and that doesn't even have to rhyme. you just have to mean it. put passion in it. live it.

like *haiku. oh, the beauty of its simplicity!

*haiku is a japanese unrhymed poem with only 3 lines; containing 5, 7, 5 syllables respectively. usually about nature and the seasons

WHO
worldwide participation is expected, attracting internationally-acclaimed poets over a period of five years. in fact, *the mohammed bin rashid al maktoum foundation (MBRF) announced more than 100 poets from 45 countries are expected to participate in this first edition of the Dubai International Poetry Festival 2009. woohoo. wondering who's representing malaysia, eh?

WHERE
the main activities of the festival will be held at madinat jumeirah and house of poetry in shindagha, dubai. man, say it with me - house. of. poetry. it's like disneyland for poets! house of mouse for the mickeys of poetic nuts! i really want to check this place out and i hope it doesn't disappoint.

other venues include:
  • cultural centres
  • community clubs
  • schools
  • universities
  • shopping malls like ibn battuta mall, dubai mall and dubai festival city will host short plays too! - yeah, baby that's where i'm goin!
even though poems will be recited in different languages, the public will be able to follow translations into arabic and english on big screens, so that the essence of the poems will be communicated effectively.

what is the dubai house of poetry? (from the gulf news)
overlooking the dubai creek, the dubai house of poetry will be centre for poetic activities and feature:
  • a library
  • an exhibition hall.
  • stock audio, video and printed archives of well-known poetic works of the past
  • the right ambience for intellectual debate
  • a venue to host several recitation sessions
  • a spot for literary performances
  • a centre for nurturing literary talent

WHY
according to *MBRF, the objectives of the festival are such:
  • establishing poetic expression as a channel for communication among the world's cultures
  • emphasizing dubai as a cultural and intellectual hub for mutually respectful dialogues and understanding between nations
  • reviving the status of poetry in the arab culture
  • encouraging the translation of poetry between arabic and other languages

sheikh majid, chairman of dubai culture and arts authority (DCAA), said:
"poetry is a universal literary avenue where people speak the same language of sincerity and truth, even if through different dialects.
* * *

i would like to share with you a list of my fav poems and sonnets, for your friday reading pleasure. may you find joy in reading them, as much as i do; and finding meaning in them, as much as i have.


so. i write silly simple poems.
i write about things that i feel, things that i see, things that's in me.
hey, i am a poet.

want to give poetry a chance?
right now.
just tell me how you feel.
what can you see or hear around you?
what does your senses tell you?
write it down in 2, no - make it 4 sentences.

you just got yourself a poem.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

aku ingat lagi ko ada tulis one poem pasal Big Mac! masa matric dulu hehe..post that poem kat sini boleh.. :)

Syigim said...

suz!! aku ade simpan lagi poem tu... hihihi..tak sangka ko ingat lagi..bestnye :) nanti aku postkan utk tatapan ko hihihii..

Syigim said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

ingat la..bertampal kat board ko tuh hahahh! ha nanti post ek :)
take care!

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