Panic-point-blank - PANIC___POINT

“And if the devil were to ever see you, he’d kiss your eyes and repent." - Farouq Jwaydeh

Nizar Qabbani (1923–1998)

Nizar Qabbani was one of the most renowned and influential Arab poets of the 20th century. He was born in Damascus, Syria, into a well-off, artistic family. His father, Tawfiq Qabbani, was a businessman and a political activist, and his mother, Faiza Akbik, hailed from a family with strong intellectual roots. His childhood in Damascus, surrounded by traditional Arab culture and the cosmopolitan currents of the time, had a lasting influence on his poetry.

Early Life and Education

Nizar Qabbani’s fascination with poetry began at a young age, and his education at the National Scientific College School in Damascus further nurtured his literary talents. He later pursued law at Damascus University, from which he graduated in 1945. While studying, Qabbani was already writing poetry, and he published his first collection, The Brunette Told Me, at the age of 21. This collection focused on themes of love and femininity, topics that would define much of his career.

Diplomatic Career

After graduating, Qabbani embarked on a long diplomatic career. He served as a cultural attaché and diplomat for Syria in various countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom. His diplomatic work exposed him to diverse cultures and political environments, shaping his global outlook and influencing his poetry. While he continued to work as a diplomat, Qabbani never stopped writing and publishing poetry.

Poetry and Themes

Nizar Qabbani’s poetry is marked by its simplicity, emotional depth, and bold exploration of taboo subjects. His works often dealt with themes of love, sensuality, and the role of women in society. He was one of the few Arab poets who openly wrote about romantic and erotic love, which caused controversy in conservative circles. His poetry also questioned traditional gender roles and advocated for women’s rights, earning him admiration among progressive audiences. However, his themes were not limited to love. As he matured, Qabbani’s poetry became more political, particularly after the devastating loss of his second wife, Balqis al-Rawi, in a bombing during the Lebanese Civil War in 1981. He began to write about Arab nationalism, the oppression of the Arab people, and the failures of Arab governments. His poetry took on a tone of rebellion and anger, reflecting his frustration with the state of the Arab world.

Personal Life and Tragedy

Nizar Qabbani’s personal life was marked by both great love and profound tragedy. He was married twice. His first wife, Zahra, with whom he had two children, died young, leaving him devastated. His second marriage was to Balqis al-Rawi, an Iraqi woman who became a significant figure in his life and works. Balqis’s death in the 1981 bombing deeply affected Qabbani, and he wrote several moving poems dedicated to her memory. One of his most famous pieces, “Balqis,” reflects his grief and sense of loss. Qabbani’s poetry also carried the scars of personal tragedy from his early years. His older sister’s suicide, after being forced to marry someone she did not love, deeply influenced his views on women’s rights and societal restrictions, fueling his lifelong advocacy for love and personal freedom.

Memoirs

Qabbani also wrote prose, including memoirs that provide insights into his personal life, creative process, and the political landscape of the Arab world during his lifetime. His memoir, My Story with Poetry (Qissati Ma’a Al-She’r), offers a detailed account of his journey as a poet, his inspiration, and the events that shaped his works. In it, Qabbani reflects on how love, politics, and personal experiences intertwined in his poetry. In his memoirs and other prose writings, Qabbani often spoke candidly about his frustrations with Arab politics, the impact of his personal losses, and his complex relationship with his homeland, Syria. His writings reveal a poet deeply affected by both the joys and sorrows of life, committed to using poetry as a means of emotional and political expression.

Legacy

Nizar Qabbani’s poetry remains widely read and celebrated across the Arab world. He is often referred to as the “poet of love” because of his numerous poems on romance and women, but his later political works have also earned him the title of a revolutionary poet. His simple yet powerful style, combined with his boldness in addressing both personal and political issues, has made his poetry timeless. Qabbani’s works have been translated into several languages, and his influence extends beyond the literary world. Many of his poems have been set to music by prominent Arab singers, further cementing his place in Arab cultural history. Qabbani passed away in London in 1998, but his poetry continues to inspire and resonate with readers across generations, reflecting the personal, emotional, and political complexities of the Arab experience.

The Rain

By sea...towards another space, shaking off my dust. Forgetting my name, the names of plants, and the history of trees.. Escaping from this sun that flogs me with its boredom... Fleeing from cities that slept for centuries under the feet of the moon.. Leaving behind me eyes made of glass and a sky made of stone. I will not go back to the sun... for I now belong to the rainstorms.

by: Nizar Qabbani

Have you ever had a crush? Have you ever felt a rush? Makes my heart stop, she didn't even blush And I got a crush Oh man I got a crush Got a psychedelic dagger in my heart, tell the paramedics to rush

I hate crushes, I cover bruises with paintbrushes Pour it all in the music now that my bank's ruptured

She never texts me, she never texts me, she never texts me Never texts me, she never texts me, forgot to text me

Well I guess we accept the ones that neglect us And my moms say that we disrespect the ones that perfect us And try to protect us

I really hope that you get this My thoughts are weighin' me down My neck can't handle the necklace Your father says that I'm reckless, I didn't cause all that wreckage

had to give you this message I wrote it straight from the soul and it didn't make sense to text it So I snuck up in your room, put it on your shoulder and in return You sent me back a restraining order.

Jaden - let it breath

I used to see you with my heart

This is the first time, that I see you with my eyes. For the first time, my hands don't tremble when you're sitting next to me. For the first time, I don't feel like I'm flying. It is the first time that I realize, you're much shorter than the sky of my dreams.

The color orange and the sunset, The rope and suicide, The glass and the wound, The ocean and drowning, Autumn and farewell, The mirror and me, The windows and staring, The hand waving from afar, The road and the sudden encounter.

Paintings by: Lili Wood

"Yorgunluğumu tüm geniş omuzlardan çıkardım

ve başımı arabanın camına yaslamayı seçtim."

My Brother

I will never forgive my twin brother after abandoning me for a whole seven minutes inside my mother’s womb.

He left me there alone, terrified of the dark, floating like an astronaut in that viscous liquid, listening to how on the other side they were kissing and adoring him.

Those were the seven longest minutes of my life, and which destined him to be the first born and my mother’s favorite. After that, I would always make sure to leave places before Pablo; the bedroom, the house, school, the theater… even if it meant missing the end of a movie.

One day I got distracted and my brother left before I did, and while he was watching me with his adorable smile, a car came by and hit him.

When my twin brother died, my mother grabbed his body and yelled my name. I have not corrected her since then...

I died and my brother lived.

My Brother – Rafael Noboa

Lets agree on me loving you from a distance, And you being closer to my heart than my veins. And me being a stranger to whom you tell your troubles, And you being to my heart, the sweetest and dearest lover.

| Nizar Qabbani

Self-taught

The failed echo will help me And the tyrannical secrets inspire me! Times of resounding anxiety And a storm hugs me tightly Here the cities of contradiction contain me The countryside of art precedes it I am drawn to the current by self-taught people My heart is steadfast in the war alone

And despite the hatred I prepare for the feverish blindness!

Sakina Al-Sharif