Coming to an American channel near you... I'm guessing "never?"
Courtesy of imdb.com Studio Briefing.
Arab Poetry Contestants Stand To Win $1.4 Million
11 December 2008 1:39 AM, PST
Abu Dhabi television launched the third season of Million's Poet Wednesday night, a kind of American Idol for writers of Nabati poetry in which 16,000 poets from Kuwait, Riyadh, Jeddah, Amman and Abu Dhabi entered. A group of 100 competitors selected by the judges was pared down to 48 in Wednesday's first episode. The winner will receive a prize of $1.4 million, with an additional $2.8 million split among the second- to fifth-place winners, making it one of the richest TV talent competitions in the world, if not the richest. Nabati poetry, also sometimes called Bedouin poetry, dates to the 16th century and is written in the dialect of ordinary people in the Peninsula region and reflects their lives. Million's Poet was created by Sheik Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, who himself writes Nabati Poetry, some of which he has posted on his website in English and which he reads on camera in Arabic.
2 comments:
I tried to find Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's website, but stumbled upon Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's instead and didn't realize, thus the above deleted comment...but wanted to post an example of Nabati poetry, so here is one by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum:
It is a tradition in Arabic love poetry and songs to use the masculine pronoun or possessive term (he, him or his) when referring to a woman
I am patient...
I am patient with them, and patience endured
I may for my patience receive favour
Because of a beloved for whom the heart weeps
The flood of the eye did not cease
For him the heart in its lair quivered
Seeing the prey high in the sky
Of the finest complexion, in his appearance perfected
Like roses in a flowerbed blossoming
He has upon him like nightfall descending
When his locks tumble to his shoulders
His eyes, the eyes of the kohled lanner
And a cheek lightens lightning its sheen
Of trim abdomen and slim waist
A body embellished as detailed
I forever cry over him and summon
And my heart suffering did its anguish intensify
And his love permeated all through me
And crept through all of my veins
Invaded me your love and love may kill
Suffers in love my heart and in its loss
I love you above all others
Obey and hearken with care
Oh my friend, one such as I suffered a great deal
Invaded by love potently and apace
Worries deep in my heart accumulated
And depart solitarily or in bursts
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