Cultural Sustainability in Selected Poems of Al-Jawahiri and Al-Sayyab

Abstract

Literature — and poetry in particular—is considered a repository of collective memory and a space for negotiating identity and history. In the context of modern Arabic poetry, especially in Iraq, which witnessed radical political, social, and cultural transformations in the twentieth century, we find a fertile ground for exploring manifestations of cultural sustainability.

Mohammed Mahdi Al-Jawahiri and Badr Shakir Al-Sayyab stand out as two prominent figures in this field. Despite the differences in their poetic and intellectual experiences, both engaged—consciously or unconsciously—in a deep dialogue with heritage, identity, and place, offering diverse visions on the continuity and rootedness of culture in the face of change and alienation.

This study aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of how the concept of cultural sustainability is embodied in selected poems by both poets. It explores both artistic and thematic mechanisms, situates their experiences within their historical and cultural contexts, and draws upon additional critical perspectives.