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• 1 2017-10-10T20:51:59+00:00 The Times We Live In 10 poem plain 2020-03-03T07:53:51+00:00 The following are the introductory lines of a dāndān tribal ode by an unknown poet from the interior of al-Mahra and sung by an unknown performer (possibly the poet himself). I believe that the recitation is incomplete and therefore the topic of this poem is obscured. Although this recording does not specify the event that occasioned the composition of this poem, I believe that it merits classification as an occasional poem. The metrical scheme and melody to which this poem is sung was referred to by Ḥājj as yēd w-yēd (DAN i DAN, or | – ˇ – |). The rhyme letter is /d/ and /ṭ/, indicating the coalescence of these two phonemes in pausal position.
  
  This recording was played for me on a cellphone in the possession of a Mahri speaker visiting al-Ghaydha from Shiḥn. I transferred the recording to my own digital audio recorder by placing the latter against the cellphone’s speaker while the clip played.
  
  

  Poem	Translation
  1) hayye bīš emdīt // rēhī men eġawṭ	Welcome to you, Mdīt // refreshing breeze from the middle of the sea!
  2) hāwēl ḏe-rbē // šīs ḥell mawʿūd	The first appearance of Rbē // has happened at its appointed time
  3) nekśōt hǧīs // ḏ-hēm šbawṭ	It aroused feelings // that were still under wraps
  4) hēm fōn yūḳayf // rīhōf ḏe-ǧmōd	They had stayed still // slender and unmoving [“frozen”]
  5) ḥōm lāmēr beh // lenṭeyren wrawd	I want to speak about // it in order to make the roses [feelings] blossom
  6) men ḏōbel nwōź // we-ṭrēf yehdawd	From the direction of the lightning // and the direction [where] it thunders
  7) w-ḥōm slōm // be-ḳlēm we-śhōd	I want peace // [as testified] by the pen and witnesses
  8) w-rēḳem ṣḥeyḥ // ḏel heh yhenġawṭ	A correct accounting // which will not cause [any one] anger
  9) le-twōlī le-sʿīd // ḥrō w-ʾāmawd	And after this, to Sʿīd // the head and the spinal column (i.e., an important, responsible man, Ar. al-marjaʿ)
  10) yśeyləsen kell // we-l heh yeśśədawd	He carries them all (virtues) // and is not incapable [of anything]
  11) w-ġawheh kell // ṭrūf yeśdawd	[For] all of his brothers // he represents [all] parties
  12) hābūn māyōn // wel fōn yeśṭawṭ	The people are flowing springs (some goods, some bad) // but Sʿīd has never “overflowed the limits”
  13) hṭeyr besṭōn // we-ḏbōr we-ḥdawd	[Standing watch] over the garden // [protecting] its soil and borders
  14) we-nḥā men khēn // bēnwēn tḳeyyōd	And we, since time immemorial // tribal rules [are followed] among us
  15) ṭeyr śēra w-ṭawl // w-ṭeyr mezhawd	[Remaining] atop the Sharia and its entire scope // and atop intelligent ideas
  16) men bād hawlōʾī // eə-ṣfēf we-ǧdawd	Ever since the very first ones // for generations and [since our] ancestors [we have preserved our laws]
  17) ʾār waḳten ḏēh // ġśōh l-mezhōd	But this time of ours // has overturned wisdom
  18) šenhawl eṭmā // rōyā l-meḳṣawd	Inconsistent ambition // has vanquished the [steadfast] intention
  19) w-kām men ṭnōḥ // le-bdēn yerźawd	How many people follow [the ambitious] // and hack [my] body to pieces (people who cause the poet problems)
  20) wśawr ḏ-lūḥeyn // wet tēhem nḳawd	In putting together the planks to make a boat //  at that time, he chooses the best of them.

   

  Poem Features

   

   

   

  Topic

   

  Occasional

   

   

  Line Structure

   

  Hemistich

   

   

  Poem Length

   

  Multiline Polythematic

   

   

  Performance Type

   

  Sung

   

   

  Genre

   

  Dāndān

   

   

  Region

   

  Shiḥn/Ḥāt/Manʿar

   

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