In another popular poem, eulogised after the Arab Spring, Nizar wrote: “Twenty years have gone by, while civilisations have passed right over over our heads. Those were among the thousands of verses that young Arabs printed on their secret pamphlets in 2011, calling for street demonstrations throughout Arab capitals. “The theatre has collapsed over your heads and the audience is cussing and spitting at you.”
“When will you go away” wrote Nizar back in 1967, addressing Arab kings and presidents. Thirteen years after his death, during the early stages of the Arab Spring, his revolutionary poetry inspired millions of young people in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and then in his native Damascus. He was outspokenly critical of Anwar Al Sadat of Egypt and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for their respective peace deals with Israel, only praising one Arab leader by name, being Jamal Abdul Nasser. Damascus: Today marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of legendary Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani, who died at a London hospital, aged 75, back in 1998.Īn Arab nationalist at heart and a Nasserist, he was always critical of military dictatorships and firmly opposed to any peace with Israel.ĭuring a prolific career that started in 1943 and lasted until his death, he often made indirect reference to Arab presidents and kings in his poetic verse, mocking their incompetence, corruption, and submissiveness to the United States.
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