Poetry and Politics in Contemporary Bedouin Society

Book excerpt: This book shows how colloquial Bedouin poetry remains a vibrant art that has manifold modern functions: commenting on world affairs (such as the Arab-Israeli wars, the Gulf War, the American invasion of Iraq); criticizing the domestic policies of Arab states; and highlighting poverty, discrimination, the corrupt practices of officialdom, and a compliant local media. Each of the 41 poems presented is transliterated and translated into English verse, with historical and contextual annotation. The tone is sometimes bitter, sometimes satirical, sometimes scurrilous, and often amusing. The poems are prefaced by an essay on the practice of modern Bedouin poetry. Poetry and Politics in Contemporary Bedouin Society is completed by appendices containing the Arabic script versions of the poems, extensive language notes, and a glossary of the vocabulary.