The paths and narratives within the poetry collection “My Hands Are My Sails” reflect the new work of author Moayed Al-Shibani, recently published by the Arab Institute for Studies and Publishing.
The poems encapsulate a journey in search of a shore where the soul can land, escaping the turmoil of anxiety. The poet set sail alone nearly half a century ago, leaving his homeland, Iraq, behind. His travels have been fraught with challenging circumstances and a struggle for survival, with his hands serving as his primary means of navigation, ultimately becoming the sails of a vessel laden with memories, time, and family transformations.
A close examination of the poet’s experience in this collection reveals his distinctive writing style, emphasizing the essence of the experience itself without external distractions or general symbols and themes. Consequently, the verses are poignant and striking, with a deep connection between the words and the poet. One can distinctly sense a longing for reunion with his homeland, after a significant and seemingly endless period apart. Since departing Iraq in 1979, this sentiment is vividly expressed in poems like “I Love You in Al-Mutanabbi Street” and “The Map from Above,” where a tone of optimism persists amid sorrow. Some lines from the poems include:
I turn like the wind
My hands are my sails
No shore acknowledges me or my steps..
The waiter told me, “O stranger,
Take what remains and burn yourself ‘there’..
If only I had ‘there’..
I would run barefoot, burning with the last breath
Even on the mat..
Had I had ‘there,’ I wouldn’t have knocked on the door
Nor awaited the moment of departure.