Jordanian poet Ziyad Hadeeb, member of the Jordanian Writers’ Union, has passed away last weekend. The late poet was born in Al Aroob camp in 1958, and had obtained a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Belarus in 1985. He authored several publications including “Al Taghalghol Bedoon Selah” (A translation of ‘Weaponless Infiltration’ by Vladimir Begun, 1992), “Hiwar Ma’a Al Bahr” (‘A Conversation with the Sea’, a poetry collection, 2011) and “Makhad Ghaym” (“Labor of a Cloud”, a poetry collection, 2013).

Ziyad’s poetry is characterized by intimacy and terseness of expression, and wavers between lyrical and narrative tones. His poems pay attention to detail and consist of short sentences, eloquent poetic expressions as well as symbolism. Moreover, his writings celebrate the translucence of lyrical poetry and reflect a sensitive poetic self with a great sense of romanticism and aestheticism.

Below is an excerpt from “The Knight Is Not Gone”, one of the poems of the late Hadeeb.

“It has swayed us with a rope tied around our necks

Crying out of shame as we walk barefoot

O’ Baghdad, love was never a luxury

I swear by He who created you to be without parallel

A home for peace

Spiteful people have desired to destroy your glory

What will harm them if you rise to greatness, those who deny it”