His poetry is very critical of dictatorial Arab rulers, especially the Iraqi rulers, the lack of freedoms, the use of torture and extrajudicial punishments, clinging to power at all costs, and the conditions of Arab societies.[1]
Matar was born in Tanoma, a small city in southern Iraq in Basra governance. He is the fourth of ten children. He is married and has three sons and a daughter.[2]
Poetry
Matar started composing poetry early in his life when he was fourteen. His first poems were mostly romantic before he turns to choose politics as his main subject. He recited long poems on stage where he actually openly criticized the status quo. This, however, forced him to flee early in his life to Kuwait.
Career
He moved to Kuwait in his mid-twenties where he worked as a cultural editor for the newspaper Al-Qabas.[3] He continued composing poems in his own journal before they were finally published in Al-Qabas. He then befriended the caricaturist Naji al-Ali,[4] who also worked for Al-Qabas. The two artists shared an ideological and artistic vision, loving and hating the same things.[5]
Exile
Due to his harsh criticism of the Arab status quo and its ideology, Mattar has again had to flee Kuwait, as has his close friend Naji Al Ali, who had to leave the country because of his caricatures. In 1986, Mattar finally settled in London, his last destination in exile.[6] Despite rumors of his death, his relatives have reported on Twitter that he is still alive.[7]
On his poetry, Matar said I didn't intend to make myself a school when I first started writing poetry; I just wanted to say the truth... and I did. I now can assure you that readers can tell my poetry without my name been attached to it.
Poetry in the time of action
In a commentary he made after the Arab Uprisings in 2011, Ahmed Matar speaks eloquently about poetry in the context of action:
"Poetry is not an Arab regime that falls with the death of the ruler. And it's also not an alternative to action. It's an art form whose job is agitating, exposing, and witnessing reality, and aspiring beyond the present. Poetry comes before action. Then poetry catches up. Poetry lights the road, and guides our deeds. Back in the day, Nassr Bin Seyar said, “Indeed, war begins with speech.” In reality, speech surrounds war from its beginning to its end through awareness, instigation, and glorification. Indeed, action needs the influence of sincere speech. Because its absence means filling the space with contradictory speech. And we know that this contradictory speech is always present and active, even while truth exists. So, imagine that the space was entirely void of truth. There is no resistance on the face of earth that would dispense the poet for the fighter. Every living resistance realizes that there is no use for bloodshed without a moral conscience. The history of our people is the greatest witness to the importance of the poet's role in war. The fighter has always sharpened both his sword and tongue."[8]
Shut down of Zitouna TV
On 6 October 2021, Zitouna TV was shut down by Tunisian authorities after Amer Ayad a talk-show host read one of Ahmed Matar's poems "The Ruler" on air on Sunday October 3. The reading was seen by the authorities of the ruling government as an indictment of President Kais Saied, whose strong-arm ruling tactics such as the recent suspension of parliament is seen as an attempt at gaining complete control of the country, still reeling from the dominance of the Islamists in the post-Ben Ali Jasmine revolution governments.
Ahmed Matar's poetry in translation
Despite his standing and popularity in the Arab world, Ahmed Matar's name and works are not as well known as those of many other Arab poets. Individual efforts have been made by his readers and admirers to make his works available to English readers.
^عناصر الإبداع الفني في شعر أحمد مطر- تأليف كمال أحمد غنيم
^@Fmuneef (16 July 2014). "لا صحة للشائعة التي ترددت عن وفاة..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^"Poetry is not an Arab regime that falls with the death of the ruler. And it's also not an alternative to action. It's an art form whose job is agitating, exposing, and witnessing reality, and..."
^"The Hope Poem by Ahmed Matar - Poem Hunter". 28 October 2013.
^"My Friend Hassan Poem by Ahmed Matar - Poem Hunter". 22 April 2014.
^"دمعة على جثمان الحرية | "A Tear over the Dead Body of Freedom" by Ahmed Matar".
^"التكفير و الثورة | "Renunciation and Revolution" by Ahmed Matar".
^"أقسى من الإعدام | "Even More Brutal than Execution" by Ahmed Matar".
^"نعم، أنا إرهابي | "Yes, I Am a Terrorist" by Ahmed Matar" (PDF).
January 31, 2023
ahmed, matar, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, available, assi. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as Reflinks documentation reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Ahmed Matar Arabic أحمد مطر born 1954 is a revolutionary Iraqi poet who has been living in exile for decades most recently in London Ahmed MatarBorn1954Tanoma Basra Kingdom of IraqNationalityIraqiOther namesشاعر النهرينOccupationPoetKnown forpoetryHis poetry is very critical of dictatorial Arab rulers especially the Iraqi rulers the lack of freedoms the use of torture and extrajudicial punishments clinging to power at all costs and the conditions of Arab societies 1 Contents 1 Early life 2 Poetry 3 Career 4 Exile 5 Poetry in the time of action 6 Shut down of Zitouna TV 7 Ahmed Matar s poetry in translation 8 See also 9 ReferencesEarly life EditMatar was born in Tanoma a small city in southern Iraq in Basra governance He is the fourth of ten children He is married and has three sons and a daughter 2 Poetry EditMatar started composing poetry early in his life when he was fourteen His first poems were mostly romantic before he turns to choose politics as his main subject He recited long poems on stage where he actually openly criticized the status quo This however forced him to flee early in his life to Kuwait Career EditHe moved to Kuwait in his mid twenties where he worked as a cultural editor for the newspaper Al Qabas 3 He continued composing poems in his own journal before they were finally published in Al Qabas He then befriended the caricaturist Naji al Ali 4 who also worked for Al Qabas The two artists shared an ideological and artistic vision loving and hating the same things 5 Exile EditDue to his harsh criticism of the Arab status quo and its ideology Mattar has again had to flee Kuwait as has his close friend Naji Al Ali who had to leave the country because of his caricatures In 1986 Mattar finally settled in London his last destination in exile 6 Despite rumors of his death his relatives have reported on Twitter that he is still alive 7 On his poetry Matar said I didn t intend to make myself a school when I first started writing poetry I just wanted to say the truth and I did I now can assure you that readers can tell my poetry without my name been attached to it Poetry in the time of action EditIn a commentary he made after the Arab Uprisings in 2011 Ahmed Matar speaks eloquently about poetry in the context of action Poetry is not an Arab regime that falls with the death of the ruler And it s also not an alternative to action It s an art form whose job is agitating exposing and witnessing reality and aspiring beyond the present Poetry comes before action Then poetry catches up Poetry lights the road and guides our deeds Back in the day Nassr Bin Seyar said Indeed war begins with speech In reality speech surrounds war from its beginning to its end through awareness instigation and glorification Indeed action needs the influence of sincere speech Because its absence means filling the space with contradictory speech And we know that this contradictory speech is always present and active even while truth exists So imagine that the space was entirely void of truth There is no resistance on the face of earth that would dispense the poet for the fighter Every living resistance realizes that there is no use for bloodshed without a moral conscience The history of our people is the greatest witness to the importance of the poet s role in war The fighter has always sharpened both his sword and tongue 8 Shut down of Zitouna TV EditOn 6 October 2021 Zitouna TV was shut down by Tunisian authorities after Amer Ayad a talk show host read one of Ahmed Matar s poems The Ruler on air on Sunday October 3 The reading was seen by the authorities of the ruling government as an indictment of President Kais Saied whose strong arm ruling tactics such as the recent suspension of parliament is seen as an attempt at gaining complete control of the country still reeling from the dominance of the Islamists in the post Ben Ali Jasmine revolution governments Ahmed Matar s poetry in translation EditDespite his standing and popularity in the Arab world Ahmed Matar s name and works are not as well known as those of many other Arab poets Individual efforts have been made by his readers and admirers to make his works available to English readers Some of his poetry translated to English The Hope الأمل 9 People of exile منفيون 10 The defector المنشق 11 My friend Hassan صاحبي حسن 12 A tear over the dead body of freedom دمعة على جثمان الحرية 13 Takfir and the revolution التكفير و الثورة 14 Even more brutal than execution أقسى من الإعدام 15 Yes I am a Terrorist نعم أنا إرهابي 16 See also EditIraqi art List of Iraqi artistsReferences Edit The Baheyeldin Dynasty Ahmed Mattar poems on Arab rulers and Arab societies The Baheyeldin Dynasty Baheyeldin com Retrieved 2011 11 27 الساخر أحمد مطر لقاء موقع الساخر بـ أحمد مطر Alsakher com 2003 12 13 Archived from the original on 2011 10 31 Retrieved 2011 11 27 http arabic media com newspapers kuwait alqabas htm Index of Archived from the original on 2015 09 22 Retrieved 2015 09 22 ar أحمد مطر عناصر الإبداع الفني في شعر أحمد مطر تأليف كمال أحمد غنيم Fmuneef 16 July 2014 لا صحة للشائعة التي ترددت عن وفاة Tweet via Twitter Poetry is not an Arab regime that falls with the death of the ruler And it s also not an alternative to action It s an art form whose job is agitating exposing and witnessing reality and The Hope Poem by Ahmed Matar Poem Hunter 28 October 2013 منفيون People of Exile by Ahmed Matar المنشق The Defector by Ahmed Matar My Friend Hassan Poem by Ahmed Matar Poem Hunter 22 April 2014 دمعة على جثمان الحرية A Tear over the Dead Body of Freedom by Ahmed Matar التكفير و الثورة Renunciation and Revolution by Ahmed Matar أقسى من الإعدام Even More Brutal than Execution by Ahmed Matar نعم أنا إرهابي Yes I Am a Terrorist by Ahmed Matar PDF Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ahmed Matar amp oldid 1128084536, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
