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Waddah al-Yaman (Arabic: وضّاح اليمن), born Abdul Rahman bin Isma’il al-Khawlani (Arabic: عبدالرحمن بن اسماعيل الخولاني) (died 708), was an Arab poet.

Biography

Al-Yaman was born in Yemen in the second half of the seventh century. He was famous for his erotic and romantic poems.

He was executed by the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I, allegedly due to his over familiarity with his wife. Al-Yaman is now regarded as the national poet of Yemen.

Poetry

Excerpt of one of Al-Yaman's poems:

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."

Resources

• Waddah al-Yaman: national poet

See also

• List of Arab scientists and scholars

References

1. "British-Yemeni Society: Waddah al-Yaman: national poet, by Abdulla al-Udhari". al-bab.com. Retrieved 2024-07-25.

• 7th-century births
• 708 deaths
• Yemeni poets
• Poets from the Umayyad Caliphate
• 8th-century Arab people
• Arabic-language poets
• 8th-century poets