Abdulrazzaq's 'Cities of Poems' explores living symbols in poetry

MUSCAT: The book ‘Cities of Poems.. Poems of Cities’ marks a new addition to the literary project of poet and writer Abdulrazzaq al Rubaie, who has long explored the relationship between place and poetic expression, drawing on his experience across Iraq, the Sultanate of Oman and several Arab countries.
Published by Musandam Publishing and Distribution House (Omani Society for Writers and Authors, 2026), the book affirms the presence of the city as a central yet 'hidden hero' in modern Arabic poetry — an emotional and imaginative space where experiences of love, exile, longing and memory intersect.
In the introduction, Al Rubaie invites readers on an ‘enjoyable journey’ through cities captured in poetry or born within it, emphasising that place exists not only on maps but also within language, emotion and memory.
He reflects on the evolving relationship between poets and cities, noting that while classical romantic poetry often portrayed cities as noisy spaces to be avoided in favour of rural landscapes, modern Arabic poetry has transformed the city into a dynamic centre of human experience. Today, the city emerges as a living entity where memory, history and existential questions converge.
The book is divided into two parts. The first, 'Cities of Poems,' includes chapters on Omani, Iraqi and other cities, focusing on how poets have perceived urban spaces and reflected their architectural, historical and cultural features in their work. The second part, 'Poems of Cities,' presents Al Rubaie’s own poetic texts inspired by cities he has lived in or visited, particularly across Oman, Iraq, and Yemen.
Al Rubaie pays special attention to Omani cities, tracing their representation in both classical and contemporary poetry. In the chapter “Muscat and the Poets... Melting in the Love of the Place,” he highlights how the Omani capital has inspired poets such as Abdulwahab al Bayati, Abdulrazzaq Abdulwahid, Amjad Nasser, Saif al Rahbi, and Saeed al Saqlawi, who portrayed Muscat as a harmonious blend of sea, mountain, history and modernity.
The book also explores Muttrah, described as a “poetic state where beauty converges,” focusing on its souq, historic fort and corniche and its inspiration for poets including Adonis and Saif al Rahbi, where the city becomes a space of light, nostalgia and myth.
In “Salalah... A Moon Bathing in the Waters of the Arabian Sea,” Al Rubaie celebrates Salalah’s seasonal beauty, especially during khareef, when mountains turn green and mist covers the landscape. He references poetic portrayals by Omani and Arab writers, including Ibn Sheikhan Al Salmi, Saeed Al Saqlawi, and Nizar Qabbani.
The author also examines Sur as a maritime city shaped by shipbuilding and navigation, and Samail as a historic centre of knowledge, literature, and scholarly gatherings that contributed to Oman’s cultural and poetic legacy.
Beyond Oman, the book extends to Arab and international cities including Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Kufa, Nasiriyah, Babylon, Jerusalem, Cairo, Sana’a, Aden, Beirut, Karak, Madaba, Samarkand, and Bruges. Across these settings, cities are portrayed as enduring symbols of memory, creativity, and human experience that transcend geographical boundaries.
The work ultimately reinforces the idea that cities, wherever they exist, remain living spaces of imagination, history, and poetry. - ONA