qasida

Posted at Mar 11/2007 10:20PM:
Reem:

Qasida A form of Arabic poetry developed in pre-Islamic Arabia. It is structured of 50 to 100 lines. The classical Qasida maintains a single end rhyme or meter throughout the piece. The earliest originated from pre-Islamic Arabia and specialized in early Arabian Language, social life, and culture. Now Qasida is written in various expressive contexts and is referred to poems of different lengths in Arabic, Persian and Turkish literature. The form of the Qasida can be summarized as: 1- Nostalgic beginning or remembrance “Nasib” followed by release “Takhalus” 2- Travel usually away from the tribe “Al-Rahil” 3- Praise “fakhir”, moral maxims “Hikmah”, or jokes “Hija’”

Posted at Mar 12/2007 11:03AM:
ian: This was an art form that worked well for largely nomadic groups. It was easily transportable in a way the big monuments were not. How might this help us to rethink stereotypes of nomads as simple folks without civilization?