Modern Iraqi Poetry: Abdulwahhab Al-Bayyati: Poet of Diaspora

Book excerpt: ‘Abdulwahhāb Al‐Bayyāti was one of the triumvirate of poets who dominated modern Iraqi and Arabic poetry of the mid-1950s. Following the pioneer female poet Nazik Al-Mala’ika, he moved away from the tail-end of the romantic period of Arabic poetry, with its reliance on classical verse style. These modern poets introduced new subjects, both social and political, employing a more psychological approach. They used direct language, free from the traditional figures of speech, but enriched with cultural connotations. This is the fifth book of translations by ‘Adulwāḥid Lu’lu’a to be published by Austin Macauley. The first in the ‘Modern Iraqi Poetry’ series, showcasing the work of Abdulrazzāq ʻAbdulwāḥid, was published in 2018.