Love, Death, Fame: Poetry and Lore from the Emirati Oral Tradition

Al-Māyidī ibn Ẓāhir is the earliest poet in the United Arab Emirates, known for his folk legend and poetry featuring wisdom, romance, and scenes of clouds, rain, desert migrations, seafaring, and pearl diving. This collection is a prime example of Nabaṭī poetry, combining vernacular language with archaic vocabulary and images.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 19 February 2022
Publisher: New York University Press

Al-Māyidī ibn Ẓāhir, widely regarded as the earliest poet in the United Arab Emirates, is celebrated for his captivating poetry featured in Love, Death, Fame. While his life remains largely unknown, he has inspired a rich folk legend and is believed to have lived in the seventeenth century in the region now known as the Emirates. The tales included in this collection portray him as a witty, resourceful, and scruffy poet, displaying both combative and kindhearted qualities. His poetry primarily revolves around verses of wisdom and romance, depicting scenes of clouds and rain, desert migrations, seafaring, and pearl diving. Similar to the works of Arabian Romantic and Arabian Satire, Love, Death, Fame exemplifies Nabaṭī poetry, blending the vernacular language of the Arabian Peninsula with archaic vocabulary and imagery traceable to the origins of Arabic poetry. Distinctive for its unique voice, Love, Death, Fame provides a captivating glimpse into the life of four centuries ago in the region that is now the UAE. This bilingual Arabic-English edition offers a treasured opportunity to delve into the rich literary heritage of the region.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479806577