Poetry 'is a basic pillar of civilisation'

Dubai: The deterioration of poetry is just as dangerous a phenomenon as global warming, a researcher claimed on the fourth day of the Dubai International Poetry Festival (DIPF) on Saturday.

Dr Mohammad Weld Abdi, a cultural consultant based in Abu Dhabi, said poetry was a "basic pillar of civilisation and an expressive device that allows us to discover humanity and the meaning of brotherhood".

His comments came during a critical discussion at Madinat Jumeirah titled Poetry versus Novel: Winds of Change. Dr Weld Abdi, originally from Mauritania, said everyone had a responsibility to revive the great art of poetry.

He said: "In recent times we have heard much about the phenomenon of global warming. But the regression of poetry is just as dangerous for society. Throughout the 20th century poets have been decreasing in number but no other medium has the power to express dreams and aspirations so well.

"The Arab people face a new civilisation and they need inter-cultural dialogue; poetry is the expressive tongue of Arabs.

"In this digital age, poetry has acquired new features and remains sacred and holy. But we need to find new ways to disseminate works of poetry, especially by fully utilising the internet.."

The discussion focused on the relevance of poetry in today's society and asked whether novels had assumed greater prominence and relevance.

Dr Al Rasheed Bu Shu'air, a lecturer at UAE University, said poetry and novels complemented each other.

Bu Shu'air, originally from Algeria, said: "The novel has become the most important literary form. Most Nobel laureates are novelists partly because novels are effective tools when it comes to analysing psychological and social aspects of our society.

"However, the flourishing of novels does not necessarily mean the deterioration of poetry.. Poetry is a more competent medium in terms of expressing feelings and emotions.

"Did the novel pull the carpet from under the feet of poetry? I don't believe so as I think poetry and novels are both human necessities and they complement each other as literary forms."

A commemorative event marking the centennial birthday of the Tunisian poet Abu Al Qasim Al Shabi at the Dubai House of Poetry, and a critical discussion titled One Language, a Thousand Tongues: Poetry as a Common Passion was held at Madinat Jumeirah on Friday night.