Osama Bin Laden: Terrorist and Poet

September 28, 2008

A terrorist mastermind and a skilled poet do not usually come together in the same sentence, especially not when the character in question is the infamous Osama Bin Laden. Still further he was once a popular wedding raconteur giving recitals during ceremonies in public and private spheres.

Next week some of Bin Laden’s poetry will be published in the academic publication, ‘Language and Communications Journal‘. Professor Flagg Miller of the University of California, an Arabic studies academic discovered the recitings on tapes found in the terrorist mastermind’s Afghanistan compound after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Millar said the recordings were passed around from person to person rather like pop songs are passed amongst teenagers. The professor’s analysis of the tapes shows Saudi-born Bin Laden to be a skilled poet who weaves mystical references as well as jihadist imagery into his verse, reciting centuries old verses alongside more current mujahideen-era work.

“[The readings] were sometimes given to large audiences when he was recruiting for jihad in Afghanistan… and other times they were delivered at weddings, or to smaller audiences, possibly in private homes,”

Many scholars have protested the upcoming publication fearing that the work has only become of interest due to the notoriety of its author and gives him an unfair forum. However Millar disagrees and believes Bin Laden to be a talented wordsmith with his own unique and distinctive style.

“They also show his evolution from a relatively unpolished Muslim reformer, orator and jihad recruiter to his current persona, in which he attempts to position himself as an important intellectual and political voice on international affairs.”

If alive, Bin Laden would almost certainly still be writing poetry, which is central to the oral traditions of his tribal culture.

“Poetry is part of the oral tradition in the Arab world, which Bin Laden uses to tap into the cultural orientation, the history and the ethics of Islam,” Millar said.

The dozen tapes are currently being refined and digitised at Yale University in the United States and public access is expected to be granted by 2010.

Posted by Edward | Filed Under Poetry News & Articles | 3 Comments

Poetry Prompt 8 - ‘Copper Trees’

September 25, 2008

The leaves on the trees are changing colour. The rich green we’ve been so used to during the height of Summer is now starting to fade into a variety of browns, reds and yellows. Most of us can also feel the slight drop in temperature and the darker evenings as Summer closes the door. Autumn, or ‘Fall’, has arrived.

This week’s poetry prompt, the 8th in the series, is therefore ‘Copper Trees’. Make what you will of the cue, whether that be descriptions of your local forest or the feeling of metal-like sadness that seeps though every vein in your body with the onset of the darker and colder months. Focus on the colours of the leaves, the images they portray or the memories they welcome back to the present. Perhaps you are a Lord of the Rings fan and imagine the trees as walking beings. What do they say? What does copper sound like when struck? The possibilities are endless.

When you have completed the poem, post the direct link in the ‘auto-links’ box below and also make a comment in the comment’s section. Before or following this, take time over the coming week to visit other entries from fellow poets and add a friendly comment or two regarding what you felt about their poem. This last part is vital if we are all to gain value from this exercise.

Remember, this is not a competition. If you need any help or advice, then either contact me or pose a question in the comments section and I’m sure someone will be available to give you a hand.

Posted by Edward | Filed Under Weekly Poetry Prompt | 3 Comments

Poetry Prompt 7 - ‘The Hurricane’

September 5, 2008

The Weekly Poetry Prompts are back after a two week break! I wish to thank all of those who gave their kind support over the last 14 days. It means a lot to me.

This week’s prompt will be based on the terrible incidents that have been occurring in the Caribbean and the southern United States recently. Over 100 people have been killed and many 1000s more left homeless in Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba. New Orleans was thankfully spared from a repeat of the devastating Katrina in 2005.

‘The Hurricane‘ is the 7th Poetry Prompt. There are various ways you can take this including descriptions of famous hurricanes past and present to the tempests of the mind or body. Life can be whisked away in an instance, livelihoods destroyed and landscapes changed forever. What does it possibly feel like to be caught in the storm? What did you feel when you saw the pictures from Mississippi and Louisiana on the television screen? Sometimes, life throws inner turmoil our way which we have to deal with in our own personal ways. How do you deal with anxiety attacks or the rushing pains of arthritis or back pain? Relate these to the weather phenomenon and create a poem that will convey the confusion and energy of a hurricane.

Next Thursday evening I will create a round-up of my personal favourite pieces but remember, this is not a competition. If you need any help or advice, then either contact me or pose a question in the comments section and I’m sure someone will be available to give you a hand.

Posted by Edward | Filed Under Weekly Poetry Prompt | 2 Comments