Sharjah: A seminar titled 'The Emotional Trend in Arabic Poetry and Its Transformations' took place at the House of Poetry in Sharjah, as part of the 22nd Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival. This event brought together academics and critics for two insightful sessions.
According to Emirates News Agency, the seminar was attended by notable figures such as Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture, and Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qusair, Director of Cultural Affairs, along with poets and literary critics. The first session, led by Egyptian critic Dr Mohammed Mustafa Abu Al Shawarb, featured presentations by Dr Saeed Bakkour from Morocco and Dr Ahmed Al Joua from Tunisia.
Dr Bakkour presented a paper focusing on emotional poetry, describing emotion as a key force that shapes self-awareness, thought, and feeling in Arabic verse. He highlighted how poetry captures the human inner experience across time, creating a shared space that transcends geographical and generational boundaries. Following this, Dr Al Joua explored emotional trends in Arabic criticism, tracing the examination of emotion by classical and modern Arab critics. He argued that poetry is inherently emotional, with its influences often appearing in criticism.
The second session was chaired by Tunisian critic Lamia Al Aqrabi and included contributions from Dr Mahmoud Al Dabb'a of Egypt and Dr Omar Al Amri from Jordan. Dr Al Dabb'a discussed the interplay between emotionality and cultural identity, emphasizing how emotions interact with identity through artistic expression, influenced by history and geography as collective social forces. Dr Al Amri concluded the seminar with a presentation on the role of nature in emotional poetry, describing emotionality as a symbolic and aesthetic core of verse. He noted that Arab poets have historically drawn on nature to express the self, feelings, and psychological responses to life, integrating these elements into poetic imagery and identity.
