Satire of authority in Shaker Al-Tamimi's poetry

Abstract

The relationship between poetry and authority has been a complex relationship since ancient times. Authority knows the impact that poetry has on the people, as it is the most widespread among other types of literature. Therefore, authority sought to neutralize or reduce the role of poetry and literature in its criticism, and thus the relationship between poets and authority was either a relationship of endearment, courtship, and flattery. Where the poet praises authority, regardless of whether it is deserving of this praise or not, in exchange for a material gift, position, or benefit. The other type is a relationship of rejection, lack of submission, and speaking the truth. So the poet praises authority if it deserves it, or satirizes it and provokes the people against it if corruption and theft are its goal. This is what we will see in Dr. Shaker Al-Tamimi’s poetry in this difficult period that Iraq is going through and under the successive corrupt governments. In this research, we tried, by reviewing some poetic evidence, to shed light on this type of satire in this poet’s poetry and study it from different angles to reveal the extent of his interest in this poetic purpose of struggle against authority.