Syria's underground poetry scene
Local poet Luqman Derki's weekly poetry night held in a hotel basement attracts hundreds of locals seeking to present and hear original poetry.
Damascus, Syria
鈥� A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.
It is Monday night in the basement bar of the Fardoss Tower Hotel in Damascus and a packed audience is getting restless. Local poet, journalist, and playwright Luqman Derki takes to the podium. Silencing the crowd with a glare, he begins to recite an ode to love and loss.
Welcome to Beit al-Qasid (house of the poet), Mr. Derki鈥檚 weekly poetry night. What began informally in 2006 is now a phenomenon attracting hundreds.
鈥淭he main idea was to take poetry out of its typical setting,鈥� says Derki. 鈥淧oetry evenings can be so boring, so I decided create something free and exciting.鈥�
Each week he throws the microphone open to any poet or musician brave enough to accept the challenge in front of a heckling crowd. Language is no barrier. 鈥淢y aim is to introduce people to the best of other cultures,鈥� Derki says. 鈥淎nd always the best of other cultures is poetry.鈥�