The Sign of Shaddah

The inscriptions quote from two movingly eloquent verses on the plight of the world’s poor and the excesses of the rich. The first, by the poet Al-Abbas ibn Al-Ahnaf, says the world has nothing but contempt and hatred for the poor even though his guilt is only the lack of material wealth. So deep is the disdain for the poor, says the poet, that even the dog in the street that wags its tail at a richly attired person seems to run barking after the poor man ready to sink his teeth into his tattered clothes and body.

The other piece by Abu Al Ayna underscores the power of material wealth in the day-to-day dealings in society. The man in rich clothes enjoys not only respect because of his grand appearance, says the poet, he also enjoys greater credibility than the man who has no material wealth to show. Such is the irony of this situation, he says, that money lends a rich man undeserved eloquence and deprives the most eloquent of the poor of their well-desired accolade and acceptance. (From the Daiwans of the two poets).

This artwork was produced in 1991, acrylic and ink on paper, its size is approximately 70cm x 85cm. This artwork is in the collection of the Artist.

Leave a comment

Also in ALI OMAR ERMES’ ART