Dimasheq – Exclusive
Syrian writer and media professional Ibrahim Al-Jubain told Dimasheq on the sidelines of the Damascus Poetry Festival that modernity in poetry is defined not by its form, but by its intellectual and aesthetic vision, calling for a fresh reassessment of the course of Syrian poetic modernity free from preconceived judgments.
Al-Jubain stated that a generation of poets sought to create a break with the dominant Arab literary scene of their time, at times drawing on political ideas and ideologies that strongly influenced that period. He added that this trajectory raises legitimate questions today about whether the evolution of poetic modernity occurred naturally or represented a form of “rupture” with the literary heritage.
He explained that the concept of modernity should not be reduced to prose poetry or to the formal structure of a poem, emphasizing that genuine innovation lies in vision, meaning, and poetic imagery rather than in the framework through which a poem is written.
He noted that a poet can produce a modern text while still employing traditional meters and classical forms, citing the experience of a Mauritanian poet who believed it was possible to preserve the classical structure of poetry while introducing contemporary imagery and modern perspectives. Al-Jubain described this idea as one worthy of reflection and discussion.
He further stressed that limiting modernity to a single poetic form narrows its true meaning, affirming that creativity can continually renew itself within different artistic frameworks as long as the text offers a fresh vision and a language capable of expressing the spirit of its time.
Al-Jubain concluded by emphasizing the importance of sustaining critical dialogue on the development of Arabic poetry and modernity, describing it as an intellectual and cultural issue that extends far beyond differences in literary forms and styles.
