‘Speed’ by Abdullah al Ryami
Featuring: Abdullah al Ryami, Anna Murison, The Poetry Translation Workshop
‘Speed', written by Abdullah al Ryami from Cairo, currently living in Oman. First, the poem is read in English translation by poet W.N Herbert and then in Arabic by Sudanese writer and poet Al-Saddiq Al-Raddi.
Abdullah al Ryami works as a theatrical director, journalist and cultural commentator in Oman. Born in Cairo in 1965 where his father had sought refuge following British-backed suppression of the Omani uprising, al Ryami returned to Oman in 2002. His poetry is described as the 'poetry of solitude' by Mohamed Al Harthi, a fellow poet and friend. This can perhaps be traced back to the time he spent living outside of Oman. Al Ryami published his first collection of poems in 1992 and has since gone on to build a reputation for himself in experimental theatre and as a poet, writing from the school of contemporary Arabic Free Verse.
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