By Balkis Sharara

November 2024
This article was a lecture in Arabic delivered on October 25th, 2024 at the Iraqi Cultural Café-London, UK.
Translated into English by Yaqthan Chadirji and editted by Jim and Maream Shaw.

The national movement in Iraq grew and flourished in the 1940s and early 1950s, especially after the intellectual and political openness that followed World War II. Political parties were permitted, and national newspapers were published. Party leaders played an important role in enlightening Iraqi thought, raising public awareness, and holding the authorities accountable. Newspapers, too, played a significant role in shaping these ideas.

This openness resulted in the 1940s witnessing a widespread cultural movement that paralleled the national movement in Iraq, transforming into an intellectual revolution across all literary, artistic, political, and social fields. Ideas like Marxism, socialism, liberalism, and nationalism blossomed. Additionally, literary movements emerged that were in ideological conflict with leftist thought, such as Baudelarian, existential, and Freudian schools (Existentialism, which is linked to the human being as a living individual, agrees on the principle that there is no single purpose or truth for which everyone lives. Every individual on Earth has the right and complete freedom to choose the life they desire and the goal they pursue and live for, without others having the right to determine those choices. From the existentialist perspective, the philosophical value of existential thinking lies in freedom, yet the fundamental value is authenticity as a philosophical concept).

Baghdad became the center where these new ideas and movements coalesced. During this period, two main groups emerged within poetry and literature.

The “Lost Time” Group at Waq – Waq Cafe 

One group believed in individual intellectual freedom and gathered in cafes, notably at “Waq-Waq Cafe” in Adhamiyah, where poets and writers influenced by Baudelairean (1) and existentialist ideas met. They viewed life as a personal choice and rejected societal traditions. Initially, this group formed an association called “Lost Time,” inspired by Marcel Proust’s novel In Search of Lost Time, as an escape from a stagnant reality. Members included poets, writers, and artists like Jawad Salim, his brother Nizar Salim, Naziha Salim, Fuad al-Takarli, Nihad al-Takarli, Jamil Hammoudi, Adnan Raouf, Ibrahim al-Yatim, and Buland al-Haidari.

The Group at Muhammad Sharara House 

The second group of poets and writers gathered at the house of Muhammad Sharara, where modern poetry was born. And what brought them together in those meetings was their love for literature and poetry, despite the differences and contrasts in their political views. Among them were poets Nazik al-Malaika, Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Lamiah Abbas Amara, and Akram al-Witiri, along with writers Hassan al-Amin, Hussein Mrowae, Muhammad Hassan al-Souri, Sadiq al-Malaika, and Karim Mrowae.

Mohammed Sharara’s house was in Al-Karrada Al-Sharqiya in the Sab’a Qusur neighborhood, a suburb of Baghdad overlooking the Tigris River. His house was not only a gathering place for writers and poets but also a meeting point for political and social figures. Everyone loved culture and engaged in various forms of it—creating, critiquing, reading, and discussing. Most of them were in their youth or early adulthood, with ages not exceeding thirty. They were well-informed about events around the world, whether in literature, theatre, or politics. These literary gatherings continued uninterrupted until 1949.

These literary gatherings continued uninterrupted until 1949.

In Iraq’s literary history, poets like Jamil Sidqi al-Zahawi, Ma’ruf al-Rasafi, and Muhammad Mahdi al-Jawahiri had continued writing traditional classical poetry in the 1930s. The gatherings at Sharara’s home marked the beginning of a poetic renaissance, leading to the emergence of modern poetry across the Arab world. There was a push for poetic renewal, freeing poetry from rigid rhyming structures, paving the way for what came to be known as “free verse.” Al-Sayyab and other poets sought to blend various poetic meters in their works.

The weekly poetry meetings were held on Thursdays, during which poets recited their verses in a hushed atmosphere, breaking the silence only with exclamations of admiration. Sharara himself would often offer sharp critiques, considering poets as the conscience of society, As the poet was considered the conscience of society and the voice that enriched epics and tragedies throughout the ages experienced by Arab society before the dawn of Islam had to play an important role in society. This was emphasized by Badr Shakir al-Sayyab in his poetry during that period. At that time, the poetry collection “Diwan Ashiqat al-Layl” (The Lover of the Night) by Nazik al-Malaika was published, along with Withered Flowers by Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, and “The Pulse of Clay” by Buland al-Haidari, marked a shift in poetic thought, freeing poetry from classical restraints and embracing themes of individual creativity and existential need. 

As al- Sayyab put it: “The writer must be personally engaged in this struggle. Literature has always been and will remain a tool with which people forge their paths toward a better life.”

Buland al-Haidari,
(1926 Iraq – 1996 UK)

As for the poet Buland al-Haidari, during that period, he was existentialist, deeply immersed in existential philosophy, and bohemian in his lifestyle, with a reputation for defying social conventions. One example of his liberation from rhyme and meter is reflected in his collection “The Pulse of Clay”:

These collections changed the concept of poetry, shaking the foundations of traditional rhythmic and rhymed verse. They broke away from the common styles, bringing surprising new visions to poetry by introducing fresh techniques and freeing verse from traditional constraints on rhythm and rhyme. Their poetry distanced itself from flattery or allegiance to specific groups, transforming into an existential and creative necessity through which they expressed their authentic, creative selves.

Badr Shaker al-Sayyab,
(1926 Iraq – 1964 Kuwait)

Badr Shakir al-Sayyab stated, “When the writer depicts this struggle, he cannot take a neutral stance—because, first and foremost, it is his own issue, his own battle. Thus, literature has been, and remains, a weapon for humankind in carving out a better life.” He also mentioned it in the introduction to his collection “Myths”:

“I believe an artist has a duty he must fulfill to this miserable society in which he lives, but I refuse to make the artist—especially the poet—a servant to this idea. If a poet is true in expressing life in all its aspects, he must naturally convey the society’s pains and hopes without any external push. Simultaneously, he expresses his personal anguish and feelings, which at their core reflect those of the majority.”

When his collection, “Withered Flowers”, was published in 1947, it circulated from one person to another. Badr described this in a poem, saying:

This poem is a testament to the poet’s disappointment in this regard, as noted by my sister, Hayat Sharara: “He could not draw attention to himself, and a barrier stood between his person and his poetry—his presence often concealed, despite his physical presence, while his poetry shone openly, capturing attention.”
Badr longed for his hometown Jaykur (2), expressing his disappointment and search for his childhood in his poetry

Badr was early to recognize mythology’s value as an essential tool in expressing modern poetic experiences, alongside poet Abdul Wahab al- Bayati, who also highlighted women as a potent aesthetic symbol. For Badr, women represented a source of peace amidst deprivation, symbolizing the mother and beloved, keeping his longing for female love alive until his death.
Speaking of his mother, who died in 1932, when he was not yet six, he wrote:

In his second collection, “Myths”, he wrote poems for Lamiah Abbas Amara, who allegedly reciprocated his love, though their relationship ended in disappointment and separation. In one poem, after she rejected his marriage proposal due to social norms prohibiting their interfaith union, he expressed:

Lamiah responded with a poem titled “Schehrazad,” which she read during one of the gatherings at our home, hinting at their religious differences:

Badr continued to mention her during his final days in London for treatment:

Badr also yearned for his village, Jaykur, and Iraq when he had to live in Kuwait, acknowledging the deep connection between place and identity:

Abdul Wahab al-Bayati,
(1926 Iraq – 1999 Syria)

Al-Bayati, a fellow of Badr Shakir al-Sayyab and Buland al-Haidari, played a pivotal role in modernizing poetry. His first collection, “Angels and Demons”, was published the same year he graduated, in 1950. Using mythological references, he conveyed the human experience of suffering and longing. His collection, “He Who Comes and Never Comes” (1982) clearly embodies mythical worlds, as seen in his use of Sisyphus (3) to depict human suffering:

Al-Bayati’s use of Sisyphus,  illustrates the ceaseless human struggle, with Sisyphus representing the conscious hero doomed to eternal failure. Abdul al-Wahhab Al-Bayati was a revolutionary against the circumstances, much like Badr, and was arrested multiple times, which eventually forced him to leave Iraq. He was one of the four who contributed to founding the modern Arabic poetry movement in Iraq and was a pioneer of free verse poetry.

He addressed his red-haired beloved, symbolizing her scent as red, associating the color with strength and dominance:

Nazik al-Malaika
(1923 Iraq – 2007 Egypt )

As for Nazik al-Malaika, she also rebelled in the preface to her collection, “Shrapnel and Ashes”, she wrote: “We remain, overall, prisoners driven by the rules set by our ancestors in the pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras. We continue dragging our bound emotions, encumbered by old meters and the clamor of dead words. When a few try to break free, they face a thousand defenders of language and tradition who cling to forms created by an ancient poet for his era, which we froze into doctrine.”

Nazik viewed rhyme as an obstacle preventing Arabic poetry from developing into epics, despite its presence in other cultures. Kareem Mrowa wrote about Nazik, “She was a different kind of poet, a different kind of woman—melancholic by nature, simple and calm, yet profoundly sensitive to life, her poetry enriched with human imagery and informed by a wide-ranging modern culture.” In Muhammad Sharara’s view, she remained a lyrical poet, her early works centered around personal emotions, as seen in “The Lover of the Night” and “Shrapnel and Ashes”, before showing significant evolution.

Her poem “Cholera”, written during an outbreak in Egypt that claimed numerous lives, was pivotal in modernizing Arabic poetry. It broke from strict poetic conventions, abandoning traditional verse structure. The poem also received appreciation for addressing social issues and empathy for people’s suffering.

In her poem “In the Valley of Slaves”, she expressed her suffering and cry of rebellion in a society that neither understood nor appreciated her talent:

In the mid-1950s, as I joined Rifat Chadirji, I found parallels between the poets’ gatherings of the mid-1940s and the meetings of artists and architects in the mid-1950s. Most of these artistic gatherings occurred on Thursday nights, where debates over the role of art in society raged. Initially hosted at painter Faiq Hassan’s home, they later took place at our home and sometimes at painter Mahmoud Sabri’s.

“I found parallels between the poets’ gatherings of the mid-1940s and the meetings of artists and architects in the mid-1950s.”  Balkis Sharara 

Cover Image: Badr Shaker al-Sayyab, by Suhail al-Hindawi

Notes:

1. Baudelairean: Refers to ideas, themes or characteristics inspired by the Frech poet, Baudelaire whose work is marked by a focus on themes such as beauty in decay, the interplay of good and evil, the allure of the urban environment, melancholy, and the exploration of taboo or decadent subjects.
2. Jaykur (or Jaikur), a small village in the southern part of Iraq within the Basra Governorate, is characterized by its proximity to rivers and its fertile landscape. Al-Sayyab often referenced Jaikur in his poetry, portraying it as a symbol of longing, identity, and the natural beauty of his homeland. His upbringing in Jaikur had a profound influence on his poetic imagery, especially his themes of nostalgia, nature, and the struggles of the common people.
3. Sisyphus is a figure from Greek mythology, often seen as a symbol of futile struggle. According to legend, Sisyphus was the king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth), known for his cunning and deceitfulness. This to inspire reflections on struggle, resilience, and the search for meaning in the face of adversity.

About Balkis Sharara

Balkis was born in 1933 in Iraq and currently resides in Kingston upon Thames, England, UK. She was married to the late architect Rifat Chadirji (1926-2020). She studied at Baghdad University, Iraq, where she obtained a BA in English Literature, and she also completed a course in Anthropology at Harvard University in Massachusetts, USA.

Balkis is a writer and essayist who has published five books in Arabic. Among her best-known works is Hakatha Marat Al Ayam (Thus the Days Passed), a memoir about her life. Another notable book, A Wall Between Two Darknesses, co-authored with Rifat Chadirji, reflects on the state of society during the 1970s and 1980s. In addition to her books, Balkis regularly writes essays for Al Mada newspaper, reflecting on themes such as social issues and her memoirs with her late husband, Rifat Chadirji.