The “Poetry Nights” event, one of the highlights of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2024, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, taking place from April 29th to May 5th, hosting a selection of Emirati poets who have enriched the local culture with a wealth of beautiful poems and imagery.
“Poetry Nights” kicked off its new season with an evening dedicated to poet Saif Al Saadi, titled “Atr Al Sahab”, inspired by one of his famous poems. Al Saadi, renowned among poets in the UAE and the Gulf region, is known for his profound sensibility, distinctive poetic style, and long career marked by creativity and contribution, which rightly earned him the “Creative Personality” title of the “Kanz Al Jeel” award, launched by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre to elevate the status of Nabati poetry and its role in society.
Al Saadi delighted the audience, which included numerous local poets, with a number of his poems that reflected his delicate sensibility and natural talent for poetry composition and recitation, demonstrating, as he says, “I do not write the poem; it writes me”.
Dr. Aisha Al Shamsi, who moderated the evening, discussed with Al Saadi the importance of incorporating local vernacular in his poetry. He stated: “The use of a neutral dialect erases the poem's identity because I cannot distinguish the identity of its poet. However, the uniqueness of local vocabularies lets the reader recognise the speaker's identity. Language is an identity, just like a name, and if a poet removes their dialect, their poem loses its identity. Anyone who loses their identity does not gain appreciation”.
He also highlighted how his media career has influenced his poetic journey, “Working in media is a double-edged sword, especially for a poet. Poems remain stuck in your mind, and when you try to write something, it feels like you are writing one of the poems you have read. However, it also enriches your poetic language and vocabulary. Reading these poems and texts lets you know your place among poets, and for me, being in media has supported and benefited my poetry”, he said.
The event was a dreamy evening for Al Saadi's audience, transporting them back to memories of beautiful times to the rhythm of his famous romantic poems, including “Ya Bu Yadeil”, which was sung by artist Khaled Mohammed.
Al Saadi called on cultural institutions to honour and celebrate poets, to encourage them to continue their diligent work in the cultural and poetic fields.
During the evening, attended by HE Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, the Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and Director of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, along with several officials from the centre, Al Saadi expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the institution that honoured him, presenting a pioneering initiative that culminated in the signing of his audiobook just before the evening began. Al Saadi concluded the night with verses from his famous poem “Atr Al Sahab” which begins with:
“Sweet, do not mind, sweet, nor do I complain,
The more I love you, the more I savour the pain”.
