In many cultures, poetry preserves the oral history of a tribe or a nation or an event. The strongest evidence of this emanates from the Arabian Peninsula, where the classical Arabic language reigned as the language of the culture and its popular poetry - a poetry that inspired gatherings and competitions of thousands of stanzas that many were able to memorize and repeat in one sitting.
Poetry as a Part of Culture
Poetry was a part of the culture itself. Conflicts were even known to be battled and settled in poetry. Within its verses, whole ideas can be disseminated - whether to convince, intimidate, impose or simply tell. Although no cameras existed at the height of Arab literary history, none were needed. The spoken poetry painted a picture in the air in front of the orator, as it still does today for the reader.
Battles came alive among the stanzas. Patriotism or ties of kinship were stirred up. It was easy to sympathize with the side of whichever poet you were listening to depending upon his skill as a poet, which is still a characteristic of argument in general that, while known today, is rather conveniently forgotten.
War, Freedom and Struggle Poems Across the Continents and Centuries
War poems can be found on every continent. They consist of pro-war poems, poems written by soldiers describing the ravages of war, poems written by the blood-thirsty, those written calling for justice, anti-war poems both by pacifists and those that did not see fairness nor cause for a war, calls for war to struggle against tyranny, occupation and injustice and those that may be considered simply political war poems written by politicians to entice people into a war who's cause is masked.
Revolutionary Poets Differ Only in Name
A common thread in revolutionary poetry is a call to a common cause - either to give courage to those who must face inevitable battle against evil (real or perceived) or to stir up the masses to a particular action and of which the encouragement of the obtainment of freedom is a final goal.
While the basic message is there, regardless of the language or time-period, these poets at times have been considered as criminals for their poetry and at other times heroes. This is along the same lines with the statement: One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist.
Cases in Point
Public school Arabic literature courses imposed upon Arab (Palestinian) students living in 'Israeli' areas are completely void of the mention of any Palestinian poets, despite the fact that much of Arabic poetry has been written by Palestinians (including the famous Mahmoud Darwish, 1941-2008, who was considered to the national Palestinian poet).
Traditionally Arabic poetry is recited, rather than read. Much of the poetry is given a rhythm and chanted - in particular freedom poetry. During the first Intifada, possession of a cassette tape featuring such chanted poetry, known as anasheed, was punishable by prison (for that matter, so was the mere drawing of a flag, let alone its mention in a poem).
When examining the lyrics, one will find that they are no different than poetry written during the American Revolution, with the sole difference being the language of delivery.
51 years ago Vietnam imprisoned 4 poets for calling for freedom of expression and change. Their efforts to effect change were only recognized last year, after two of them were already dead.
Saw Wai, a Myanmar poet was sentenced to two years in prison after publishing an eight-line poem with a cryptic message when read top to bottom criticizing the Senior General of the military junta: Power Crazy Senior General Than Shwe.
Government harassment of poets continues, yet the poetry keeps coming - perchance to keep the candles lit for hope that social change be egged on via poetry.
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