His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan is a distinguished poet who reflects in his verses a clear image of his conscience. His poetry reflects his inner feelings which reach out to faraway human horizons and weave a texture of true love, expressing originality and the pulse of a deep insight. The vehicle for all this is an abundant poetic skill that tells of a mastery equal in stature to poets of his age.

     He steers directly towards the target. He does not favor ambiguity or confusion, because his high ideals, noble traits and the values which he holds as a point of departure compel him to address his themes with vigor, knowledge and courage, and with full confidence

     I do admit that a study of the poetry of His Highness - a poet of his stature - will not give him enough credit and will not achieve the ultimate goal, because talking about its meanings, the way he masters language and his expressiveness, and talking about his poeticism and his true emotions require a full volume.

     My justification for stopping at his poetry is to continue my account of his exceptional personality, so that I do not omit anything and cannot be accused of forgetting or pretending to forget this important aspect of his personality. Perhaps, when I join others in this endeavor, I may, through my own under standing, shed light on one aspect of his poetry - a poetry which greatly affects the soul and sentiments.

     Despite the scarcity of his poetry because he is overwhelmingly preoccupied by matters relating to his people's welfare and the duties of leadership, His Highness's has written enough poetry to be counted amongst poets. This is so, because some well-known poets in the chronicles of Arabic and world literature have attained fame with a single poem, and thus have merited the title of 'poet'. His Highness is a poet by virtue of one poem and a poet by virtue of a collection of poems. He is a true poet; he is the proficient poet who can improvise if he has to, and he did improvise several times. (See introduction to the collection of poems titled Arais min al Dhafra [Brides From Dhafra] by Al Kindi Musahab Al Kindi).

     In his poetry he looks upon the world and man with love and a discerning eye. He looks upon life with optimism and upon difficulties with a determination to overcome. He does this because the rays of dawn make him glow with a spirit striving towards faraway but true horizons, a poet whose outer and inner-self expresses boundless human aspiration.

     I have chosen certain poems to discuss in this book, not because they are the best and the most beautiful - all the poems in His Highness's collection are beautiful and refined - but because they give a clear picture of his poetry.

     Before I delve into the paradisiacal riches of his poetry and creativity, I find it worthwhile to convey the opinion of Dr. Mana Sa'eed Al-Otaiba of His Highness's poetry. He says:

     " I thoroughly enjoy talking about Zayed the poet. Poetry is a hobby which has brought us together, and which continues even today. Recently, I compiled a special collection of the poems I have written about him as well as those poems which His Highness has composed in response to my own.

     A poet, in my point of view, is not one who only writes poetry, but rather one who experiences poetry as a way of life. There are so many poets, but very few of them are poets in the real sense of the word. Zayed has always been, and still he remains, an innate poet whose poetry derives from what he feels at heart, not from impersonal utterances whose origin is the tongue. This faculty directly relates to the way he treats others, the way he talks to them heart-to-heart. When His Highness felt that I was inclined to writing poetry, he encouraged me and asked me to carry on. He used to listen to the verses I wrote with a loving heart and with the ear of the knowledgeable and experienced critic, who could easily spot the beautiful parts in a poem and would not miss to pinpoint the mistakes or the weak meanings and images portrayed in other verses.

     I have exchanged several poems with His Highness, and I could say, without any flattery, that Zayed is a real poet whose verses well up from noble emotions and a lifestyle based on truth. Zayed, the poet, had tackled all types of poetry, discussed the problems of his Arab nation, called for reasoning and avoidance of differences, and if differences prevailed, they must be solved via the feeling that all are but one big family.

     One of the pieces of advice Zayed is always keen on giving to poets is to avoid both defamation and direct praise, and to adhere to decency in every verse the poet writes. Zayed's love of poetry started at an early age. He composed some poems in his youth; but unfortunately only the poems His Highness composed in recent years were collected".

'THE GENTLE EASTERN BREEZE'
A POEM BY HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH ZAYED BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN THE UAE PRESIDENT

His Highness Sheikh Zayed, the poet, expresses in this poem his love for his country and his fondness of its nature; the gentle breeze blowing from his homeland, laden with fragrance, carries within it the family and the dear ones, as it were.

     This gentle breeze, which refreshes both the face and sentiments, carries with it the radiance of the homeland, and is a balsam reinvigorating the heart and soul and erasing worries and grief.

     His Highness asks the gentle breeze to carry on its wings a message of longing to the dear ones while blowing on their dwellings. Thus, the breeze will not be blamed and brings the news of the dear ones without toil. How wonderful to hear about their news, especially when we miss them so much!

     A transparent and refined language whose most significant characteristics are concentration and brevity coupled with honest intentions and warm emotions.

     The reader is swept along by this complex picture that conveys a clear image of the imprint that the elements of the homeland have left in the memory of His Highness. There is a great awareness of the goal to be aspired to in the poem. There is an aesthetic sense which relates to both sight and vision, a tendency to find comfort in the scent of rare perfumes like those extracted from narcissus and basil, and a tendency to be attracted to certain attributes of beauty which are specific to femininity; as if what flourishes in the soul of His Highness reflects itself on the environment - hence barren lands are converted into a flowering springtime.

     Indeed, Sheikh Zayed possesses an overwhelming innate poetic faculty, an intrinsic capacity for eloquence; he scoops from an inner sea, as it were. He is aware of and has mastered the art of composing the folk poetry which is dominant in the United Arab Emirates.

     One of the aspects of the country that comes through in the poetry of His Highness is his concern with water. This concern seems to dwell in his memory and consciousness. This is why he pleads God Almighty to make rain fall on the homeland so that it may live a beautiful spring. Needless to say, living in a desert environment sets man a perpetual task of looking for water to ward off the threat of drought and aridity. The effect of rain is so immense on the souls of the people of this expansive environment because the human soul naturally craves for a comfortable and easy life, and water leaves that impression on people. Hence, water, as a theme, has been so significant and repeatedly mentioned in the verses of Arab poets since the pre-Islamic era.

     Evening chats and hunting are so enrapturing in deserts and prairies; so too is the opportunity to enjoy the splendor of nature and its cool breezes.

     In his poetry, Sheikh Zayed has tackled many different topics, leaving nothing untouched. One of his splendid poems is the poem on the birds of prey of the desert in which is written in the form of a monologue. The element of creativity in this poem makes the reader perceive both the action and the reaction, and through this perception, understand what directions are given to the bird Al Hurr. His Highness says in this poem:

     From the Collection of Poems of the Poets of UAE Tribes, Part One (Al-Ittihad Press, Publishing and Distribution Establishment - Abu Dhabi).

     How wonderful is this world, how wonderful is this time, their spatial dimension and scope have set me aglow.

     Why should I not express this feeling, especially when I see that bounty has prevailed, meadows and greenery have spread, and forests and farms producing fruit and vegetables have multiplied?

     Good fortune has dawned, happiness has come upon us and benevolence has spread everywhere, so God has willed all this. This good fortune has spread itself over land and sea as well as over rivers.

     Consequently, visitors from all over the world are coming to our country to see this development, this miracle, and to enjoy the charming nature of our country. Our country is the natural habitat for deer and several species of birds and animals. Happy are those who meditate as they watch our country's beauty and contemplate the many-faceted secrets of its beauty that envelop the senses and bring together what is dear to the soul and mind. We have to thank God and praise His creation, for what he has given us, and for helping us in making our country look so beautiful. We also praise God because He has provided us with selfless people to build this country in a splendid way. We praise God because He has raised this country and placed it on the apex of glory and prosperity.

     The poem conveys an overwhelming expression of affection for this homeland in which many miracles have been achieved, the first of which, the miracle of nurturing the human being in all facets. Secondly, the amazing agricultural growth and spread of greenery all over the country which converted the desert into a green paradise, and thirdly, the development which made the United Arab Emirates a most civilized country on a par with the most modern countries of the world.

     Naturally, Sheikh Zayed feels joy and happiness because what has been achieved was not easy. Strong arms and relentless determination, in addition to an iron will, have realized all this.

     The wonderful element in this poem is the simple yet eloquent language the poet uses in order to reflect the truth with honesty, compassion and endless love for the dear homeland.

     This is supported and illustrated by pictures evocative of beauty and human emotions, and a creative imagination that links the images of reality to the realm of the imagination in a bright and colorful work of art.

     The poem "Bainouna", composed by His Highness Sheikh Zayed, is but a tear shed by folk poetry, and it expresses an overwhelming love for the homeland and a deep affection for its every part.

     The reader would notice His Highness's devotion for his country, and would also notice his underlying hope to make the homeland one of the earthly paradises. He says in this poem:

     Man shall only be appreciated and respected by his fellow man if he possesses wonderful qualities, kind temperament and sublime traits that are inseparable from the values and principles of our Islamic religion and the inherent attributes and tradition of the Arabs, such as generosity, readiness to give, courage, gallantry, nobility, honesty and manliness. Such a man is fit to be an efficient member of society, so he gains the appreciation of all. A gallant man is the one who vehemently proceeds with benevolent work, the intelligent man who knows how to deal with people and appreciate them so he would in return gain their respect and appreciation.

     O young people, men who would want to grow in stature and virtue, adopt noble values and norms; work hard and diligently to achieve your goals and let the whole world see what you have done. You must realize that reaching the top requires determination and willpower. He who is afraid to climb mountains shall spend his entire life living in the deepest pit. O young people, learn how to do distinguished things; things that will set you apart in progress and work and this way you will not be mere shadows of others.

     As for those who had distanced themselves from their religion, abandoned their genuine customs and great traditions and started to adopt western habits and traditions, they shall be ostracized by their countries, lose people's respect and live on the periphery of life.

     O young people, adhere to knowledge, develop consciousness and avoid vanity if your life bestows riches on you; for such is life "it raises some people to the top and lowers others to the bottom". Be always thankful to God, the God of all, for His blessings and giving, preserve the goods He has bestowed on you and safeguard your manners and traditions in order to continue with the march of your fathers and forefathers, who have left behind luminous pages full of patience and great achievements. Be the best successors to the best predecessors.

     I ask God Almighty to show the young generation the right path in their endeavors to build the nation, defend it and to attain to happiness and raise the homeland to a rank of distinction and because their duty is far greater and their mission is full of toil.

     This poem is a historic, intellectual, cultural and educational manifesto, composed by His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, who blended this poem with his own soul, the fragrance of his emotions and his conscience, and his love for his fellow citizens.

     His Highness depicts the demeanor to be adopted so that man becomes respectable and appreciated amongst his fellow men. He also specifies the qualities of the successful man who well deserves to be called the son of the homeland; such a man is honest, candid, strong, generous, gallant, devoted and loyal. These are the qualities of the Arab Muslim who has been indoctrinated in the principles of our true religion; these are the true character traits of an Arab.

     His Highness is not content with this only, but resumes his statement, which is adorned by wisdom and insight, asking the youth, men of the future, to toil to climb the summits of glory and to do so without fear or apprehension, armed with determination, will, sublime goals and a craving for knowledge, love for building their country and propelling it towards civilization, progress and prosperity. Yet, His Highness warns against imitation so that the citizen of this land does not become an inferior copy of others, because distinction is synonymous with power and ability, and uniqueness begets success and civilization.

     Then, His Highness stops to talk about those defeatists who wander aimlessly around, forgetting, or pretending to forget, their duty towards their people, society and country. Those who have hastened to absorb fake western traditions and corrupt habits and have ended up by living a state of emptiness as they have failed to know how to love their own country.

     Making use of time is a prerequisite for, and an impetus to, preparing ourselves to work, as he who does not turn opportunities to his benefit will never know the real taste of life. There is a great hope that the young generation will achieve glory for their country. Their country is waiting for them and is looking forward to their deeds and actions.

     This poem, with all the meanings it conveys to the young generation is considered a precious landmark in Arab poetry, composed by a great and exceptional man in a manner that makes the poem itself an exceptional poem. Should the young people study this poem and contemplate its meanings, they will definitely become the best successors to the best predecessors. This poem attests to the fact that His Highness Sheikh Zayed has in store a huge project for the young generation to enable them to carry on with what will be entrusted to them in the most appropriate manner, and to honor the homeland with their sacrifices and giving.

     From what has been mentioned above, we conclude that His Highness, the benevolent Zayed, the Poet, is distinguished by the fact that he is a humane poet whose hallmark is tender feelings and eloquent meanings, and that his thoughts and vision are imbued with love. His description is magnificent and his artistic illustrations are beautiful. His style is serene and joyful, his words are elegant, and his feelings are true. Zayed is wise and has a great discernment; he is a critic who blends his words with his life experiences. He has a sense of delicacy and a tendency to produce deep-reaching and eloquent poetry in generous measure; his poetry derives from a broad cultural background and an understanding of poetic styles, rhythms and forms. Also, he can improvise and shape words to fit his message. He plans for his poem without pretense, illustrates without excess, a first class connoisseur of poetry who links sensual beauty to moral beauty.

     The poetry he has composed is only a small part of his work in this domain, whether contained in his two published collections of poems, People's Pearl and Gharayes from Dhafra, or his unpublished verses. It requires extensive study and special books to address his genius as a poet, and the qualities, brilliance and comprehensiveness of his poems.

     Nevertheless, the reason why I have applied myself to his poetry is to complete the image of His Highness, the Leader, whose other aspects I have discussed in other chapters.

     The creativity of His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, in the art of poetry and his excursions in all its fields and styles are but a supplement to his creativity in giving, use of determination, wisdom and insightful decision-making. In addition to all other qualities, this eminent unionist leader is endowed with the characteristics of a great man; these characteristics form the base of his genius, leadership, constructive works, his patriotism, and love for his people and his nation.

     Poets from all over the world, from the east and the west, have written, through their verses, about the genius and qualities of this leader, and there is no room here to mention the names of all the poets who have spoken about His Highness or those who have competed with, participated in or responded to His Highness's verses. It would suffice to mention here the poem composed by His Highness Major-General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Minister of Defense, which was beautifully analyzed by Ibrahim Abu Milha, because this poem owes its wonder to the meaning it conveys and the insights it gives. These two, taken together, give us an idea of the poetic quality of poet and subject. The poem reads as follows:

     The poem was composed on the occasion of the 28th National Day and was published in UAE newspapers on December 4, 1999, (Al-Bayan Newspaper - Issue No.7108).

     The critic, Ibrahim Abu Milha, has the following to say : His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is one of the few well-known and creative folk poets not only in the Emirates but also amongst the Gulf poets. This is illustrated by the number and quality of poems that he has written. He still contributes to the repertoire of folk poetry in the different fields of the poetic art, leaving no topic untouched. He has some beautiful poems which are well known for their excellence and for the different topics they address. His most eminent poems to date are those written in praise of His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God protect him.

     His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum would not miss any occasion related to His Highness Sheikh Zayed, to compose a poem about him. He would also do the same thing without being prompted by a special occasion; rather, he would so out of his love and feeling of closeness to Sheikh Zayed. He would come out with the finest and most descriptive, verses that are eloquent, tender and embellished with true emotions and which are meant to shed light on the traits, qualities and attitudes of Sheikh Zayed. Poems of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum are so numerous as to form an anthology. His recent poem recited on the occasion of the 27th National Day is the most significant one in this respect. It is a finely crafted and beautiful poem; so eloquent and saturated with thought and implications and images that that it has been classified as the poet's masterpiece.

     The meanings and ultimate goal of this poem are not easy to understand at first reading. It draws both the attention and intellectual capacity of the reader, inviting him to ponder, especially on certain verses, rich in meaning and rhetoric, such as the two unique verses below.

     The first verse reads as follows:
"He who would give as much as you do, shall fear poverty; your generosity is as inexhaustible as perpetual rainfall."

     The second verse reads as follows:
"The life of Arab people is placed in their hearts, but you have placed your life, because of your honesty, inside your pocket."

     The third verse is not less significant than the preceding two and it reads as follows:
"Your coming into being was a triumph over life; but how was life capable of giving birth to such an individual! "

     The difficulty of the poem, or more accurately its strength, lies in the rhythmic similarity of the rhymes of both hemistich of each verse, as each one ends with the same letter: 'Kaf' (K).

     It is rather difficult when a poet commits himself to using two different rhymes in each hemstitch, although he would then be freer in expression, but the restriction is far heavier and more difficult when he commits himself to using one letter of the alphabet to form both rhymes as is evident in this poem.

     The length of this poem illustrates another aspect of the poet's ability to navigate through this territory where the poet's capacity for challenging the unusual and his artistry and craftsmanship are brought into focus.

     The beauty of verbal rhythm in the verses of the poem lies at the end of each hemistich, whether with regard to the letter Kaf (K), being silent in pronunciation and the nunnation of the preceding letter; this turns reading into a beautiful tune at the end of each hemstitch and through the entire poem.

Critical Appraisal
     This poem is distinguished from the others, as the poet has used a different style. Thus he shows the ability to manipulate the words and translate the meanings employing a sharp, creative and deep composition. He has over-praised the qualities of the person he is describing to the point of defectiveness that borders on absurdity, but he would thereafter alter the meaning into a special trait of character that is exclusively attributed to His Highness Sheikh Zayed.

     The poet has adopted this style throughout the poem. This is the reason for my interest in the poem. I admit that it has taken me great deal of time and effort to study it, unlike other poems composed by the same poet.

     "A loving heart visited you for keeping your promises, wishing, if the world ended, with you to start."

     "Visited you": The visit is only made by a loving person hence the poet has selected the expression "visited you" to show his love for the person being praised, as this term is more expressive and honest than the term: "he came to you" or "he met you" or any other similar words because all these words denote a material action only, but do not convey the meaning of love, as they may be uttered by a person bound to you by love or by any other person.

     The poet justifies his visit to His Highness Sheikh Zayed because the latter is known for honestly keeping the promises he makes...A man with such qualities is loved by all and all crave to visit him, unlike a deceitful character and a promise breaker who is shunned by all and no one wants to visit him.
 
     "A heart .........wishing"
The use of "heart" indicates the poet's great love for the praised person, because the heart is the site of love and the home of feelings...This is more expressive and indicative than any other term he could have used, such as saying: "I (a person) visited you" or mentioned the visit in an abstract manner, but tying up the visit with the heart reflects the real feelings and the true affection that are attached to this visit.

     He incorporated the term "keeping promises" to display the importance of the fulfillment of promises and agreements, yet he did not use promises in the singular form "promise" but in plural form "promises" to show that all the promises made by His Highness are kept and honored, as he has never broken one single promise. As man's honesty is not judged by keeping one of his promises; but by keeping many of his promises which would definitely provide clear evidence for judging him in a proper manner. Hence promise has been referred to in the plural form: "promises".

     Had the poet not inserted the term "wishing," the reader would have assumed that the poet's visit to His Highness would have fulfilled his desire in meeting His Highness, because with visits one can quench the flame of one's yearning and the warmth of one's love. However, the poet says, afterwards, "wishing" which means that his heart is still attached to His Highness. "Wishing" is a plea to reach for something as yet unfulfilled, as if the poet wants to say that no matter how many times he visits His Highness, his heart shall always wish for, and desire, His Highness and shall never have enough of him.

     He does not say whether he wishes to get anything from His Highness, but his wish relates to all of His Highness without any specific reference, because a dear person to you shall remain, altogether, the topic of your wish, as you cannot prefer one quality in him to his other qualities.

Features of Eloquence
     He does not pause after saying "the poet's heart desired you" but adds a new feature to this wish; when the poet states that His Highness is more precious to him than the whole world, and if the world ends he shall have no problem when the praised person survives and remains with him. Is there anything he has not got from him? No, but he starts with His Highness all over again.

     In other words, his yearning for His Highness is renewed every single moment, and as soon as it ends when the world ends, his yearning for His Highness shall make a fresh start and become stronger than before. This emphasizes the topic of yearning for His Highness.

     In this expression one can see a gesture and a feature of eloquence. As soon as the world ends, the yearning starts all over again. It ends at this point and starts at the other.

     (Visited you because you keep your promises)
Ibrahim Abu Milha, Al-Bayan Newspaper, December 4, 1999, Issue no. 7108

     His Highness Sheikh Zayed is, as described by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum: "One of the leaders who have left their fingerprints on the pages of modern history". This saying eloquently summarizes the opinion of both leaders and people of this great genius leader.

     Finally, the poems I have quoted from the poetry of His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan do not constitute more than a drop in the ocean of his collection of poems, because he has written on every single topic. I have contented myself with this selection, in order to highlight this side for the reader, but, had I wanted to study all of his poetry, this selection would not have been enough. I would have had to devote an entire book to study the characteristic features of his poetry and to focus on its implications, expansiveness, imaginativeness and its position with relation to the poetry of his contemporaries.

     I may have the chance to do so in the future, when I am able to scrutinize this issue which requires individuals who are much more capable than myself to analyze, study and clarify the hidden treasures, jewels and faraway horizons of the poetry of this distinguished poet.