The Very Short Poem in Contemporary Arabic Poetry: A Study of Terminology and Authenticity

Abstract

This study aims to highlight the problematic issues surrounding the very short poem as a new literary genre that has not yet reached a stable terminology. The study seeks to emphasize the terms used by Arab writers and critics for this literary genre, which have varied and striking nomenclature, exceeding thirty terms related to the very short poem. It also seeks to answer the important question of the origin of this new literary genre. The study delves into the various fields that could be the origin of the very short poem in Arabic poetry, discussing both its Arabic and foreign origins, in an effort to reveal the points of convergence and divergence between the very short poem and other genres that could be considered as its origins, such as Arabic fragmentary poetry, the Japanese haiku, and epigram poetry.