The Poetry Academy at the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee Abu Dhabi has recently published the edited and expanded Al Nahyan Poets collection (third edition). The collection comprises works of 17 poets from Al Nahyan Family along five centuries (from the 16th to the 20th century).

The 379- page collection is characterised by quality and classiness. In the preface, the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee Abu Dhabi noted that poetry had accompanied Al Nahyan rulers since their rise on the socio-political arena in the region.

The poems, which were gathered and kept for the members of the family - whose rule of Abu Dhabi dates back to more than five centuries-, do not carry an image of lavishness. They are, rather, a social contribution to a literary genre that constituted an important part of the local identity and the regions culture and history. Through a civilised poetic language and innovative artistic pictures, the poems do stand as a reflection of a humble human nature.

This important poetic experience of Al Nahyan poets - between the 16th and 20th century- is a phenomenon worthy of study and contemplation. It records the oldest versions of Al Wanna poetry. This form poetry, which characterised the UAE society, dates back to late Sheikh Dhiab bin Issa Al Nahyan (18th century). The collection also records the oldest versions of Al Taghrouda poetry, which dates back to late Sheikh Sultan bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan (19th century).

The Al Nahyan poetic experience also provides the reader with a model of the human and literary character of the members of the ruling family who adopted a literary genre that was practiced by the people to communicate in their daily lives. They produced poetry for various purposes like wisdom, advice, politics, love and enthusiasm.

Poetic contests used to place, showing the extent of interblending between the rulers and community members. Al Nahyan poets knew very well that poetry had a huge impact on communicating with all groups and was a perfect channel to explain many social, humanitarian and political affairs. In political poetry, Al Nahyans were actually practicing politics through poetry. Important samples of political poetry can be found in works of late Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan and late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee noted that the series of Al Nahyan Poets is still at the apex of poetic creativity, through the presentation of new experiences by the young generation of this literary family.

The Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee Abu Dhabi said that collection includes poems of Sheikh Mohammed Al Falahi Al Yassi; Sheikh Dhiab bin Issa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan; Sheikh Sultan bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan; Sheikh Issa bin Khalid Al Nahyan; Sheikh Ibin Issa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Khalid bin Issa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Hilal bin Issa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan; Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan (Sheikh Zayed the First); Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan; Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan; Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The collection comprises 132 poems with an explanation of the vocabulary. It also includes some poems that were published for the first time. The deeply-rooted Al Nahyan family has witnessed the emergence of several talents who composed poetry of different themes and for different purposes. Over several centuries, these poets have presented a set of diverse creative works.

The poets of this collection write feelings in a form of poetry that is characterised by a fine artistic imagery at the level of description. The poets discover the power of imagery through a creative movement from techniques that are abundant with romantic meanings toward the use of much creative methods. Such a movement allows the poets to depict a human condition beyond the already-known emotional reactions, producing a sort of a structural union between the image and the theme. The poets start with a letter to create new approaches, transforming poetry in an unprecedented and talented way.