Arabic, other poetry and music

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This 2017 video is called Classical Arabic Poetry From Al-Mutanabbi (English) – على قدر اهل العزم – للمتنبي

On 7 April 2013, there was a poetry and music afternoon.

Part of it was a celebration.

Because in 1613, so 400 years ago, Leiden University established one of Europe’s first chairs of Arabic language and culture.

When I entered, Gerdi van der Poel read one of her poems about capitalist society.

After her came Hans Roest. He read his poems in public for the first time ever. One of them was about a tulip.

Then came Roel Weerheijm, born in Middelburg, later in Utrecht.

This is a video about Roel Weerheijm at a poetry slam.

Then, Erwin Mulder from Amsterdam.

Then, yours truly; with poems on the Iraq war, the Yugoslavia war, a bee-eater, a beetle and an umbrella.

Then, Peter Brouwer‘s poems.

Then, poems by A.C.G. Vianen, living in Eindhoven now.

And Leiden poet Paul Groenendaal.

After a pause, Jos van den Broek, presenting his new book.

Petra Sijpesteijn

Then, Petra Sijpesteijn, Professor of Arabic Language and Culture; about the four hundred years of Arabic at Leiden University.

After Ms Sijpesteijn, Ali Rida Rizekar from Lebanon read an Arabic poem by a Palestinian poet.

Petra Sijpesteijn then translated that poem into Dutch.

Tijs Huys told an Arabic fairy tale.

Rian Evers sang Arabic songs.

Finally, after another pause, Peter Brouwer, yours truly, and the other poets who had already read their poems, had their second chances.

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