Waddah al-Yaman

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Waddah al-Yaman (Arabic: وضّاح اليمن‎), born Abdul Rahman bin Isma’il al-Khawlani (Arabic: عبدالرحمن بن اسماعيل الخولاني) (d. 708), was an Arab poet. He was born in Yemen in the the second half of the seventh century. He was famous for his erotic and romantic poems. He was executed by the Ummayad Caliph Al-Walid I, allegedly due to his over familiarity with his wife. Waddah is now regarded as the national poet of Yemen.

One of his poems goes like this:

She said: "Don’t come to our home, my father is deadly jealous."

I said: "I’ll pluck you before he knows it, my sword is razor sharp."

She said: "There’s a whole castle between us."

I said: "I’ll fly my flag over the castle."

She said: "There’s a whole sea between us."

I said: "I’m a strong swimmer."

She said: "My seven brothers keep an eye on me."

I said: "I’m a match for them all."

She said: "Allah is watching us."

I said: "My lord is Merciful and Forgiving."

She said: "I have run out of words, so come tonight when everyone’s floating in dreams, and fall on me like dew, undisturbed."

[edit] Resources

• Waddah al-Yaman: national poet

[edit] See also

• List of Arab scientists and scholars