The Image of the Desert in Popular Poetry and Its Impact on Society
Researcher. Khatwae Aleifa (pp. 64–81)
Ammar Thlijy University, Laghouat (Algeria)
Abstract
This study seeks to examine the image of the desert in popular poetry, as this poetic genre has served as a faithful mirror reflecting desert life and as a record preserving its heritage and popular memory. The desert, with its diverse images, occupied a vast space within popular poetry, becoming its central theme and dominant presence. Popular poets roamed its wide expanses, singing of its reality and portraying its spatial dimensions in all their forms. They crossed its plains and valleys day and night through arduous journeys and dangerous adventures. Within this vast desert atmosphere, the popular poet soared with a free and untamed imagination, capturing marvellous images whenever his gaze encountered them. He depicted the stars and planets, sang of the moon and its beauty, the tent and its sanctity, and the horses and camels that accompanied desert life. The desert was both companion and confidant to the popular poet, to whom he confided his worries and suffering. Consequently, his poems were rich with expressive imagery, carrying the concerns of the self and the suffering of the collective. Despite hardship, the popular poet often tended to create a beautiful image of the desert, transforming it into a paradise where life could be lived in clarity and serenity. When the sun sets and casts its rays upon untouched soft sand, it shines like gold before the colours fade with dusk. The desert’s creatures also contributed to this imagery, most notably the camel—known as the ship of the desert—created by God to adapt to its harsh conditions. Everything in the desert is characterized by beauty, which inspired popular poets to sing of its splendour and creatively portray its many images.
Keywords: Image of the Desert, Popular Poetry