Salah Labaki

Lebanese poet, 1906–1955

Salah Labaki

Born| 1906 São Paulo
Died| 1955 (48–49 years) Beit Meri

Baabdat

Nationality| Lebanese
Citizenship| Lebanon
Education| Law
Occupation(s)| Journalist, poet, and lawyer
Notable work| Sa'am, Orjuhat al Qamar
Style| Neo-romanticism, symbolism
Political party| National Bloc, Syrian Social Nationalist Party
Father| Naum Labaki

Salah Naoum Al Labaki (Arabic: صلاح لبكي, 1906–1955) was a Lebanese poet, scholar, journalist, and lawyer.[1] His poems and writings (both literary and critical) have received academic attention.[2] Some regard him to be among the poets who introduced "modern Arabic poetry" in the late 20th century.[3] Labaki is considered a pioneer of the renewal movement in Arabic poetry, and more specifically in Lebanese poetry, in the second quarter of the 20th century.[2] Some of his poems were translated into Spanish. He received the academic French medal, The National Order of Cedar in the officer rank, and an honorary degree from The International Institute of California.[2][4][5][6]

## Life

[edit]

Labaki was born on 6 August 1906, in São Paulo, Brazil. Originally from a Lebanese town called Baabdat, his father later moved to Brazil as a journalist. The family returned to Lebanon in 1908, where Labaki remained for the rest of his life.[1]

The family resettled in their ancestral home in Baadbat, and the environment Labaki grew up in was far from safe: the Ottoman army was after his father, and would pay surprise visits to his family almost every day, terrifying young Labaki and his brothers.[1] Despite this, he spoke fondly of his hometown, and was proud of belonging to its ancient history. He wrote:

> My village is strongly built in a corner in the edifice of the nation, and a gracious hand in giving glory. In this far away place there were pimps and soldiers, who defended the good values of Lebanon, as well as writers, artists, and scholars, whose traces enriched the history of the civilization.[1]

Labaki attended the St. Joseph School of the Capuchin Fathers in Baabdat and received private lessons in French. He then studied at Al Hikma school in Beirut (1918-1920) and later, at the Saint-Joseph College of Aintoura. After obtaining a high school diploma in 1927, he entered the French Law Institute of Lebanon and graduated as a lawyer in 1930.[5]

Labaki died from a heart attack in Beit Meri on 20 July 1955 and his body was moved to Baabdat for the burial.[7]

## Career

[edit]

Labaki was one of the Mahjar writers and the owner of "Arrakeeb" and "Al Manazer" newspapers. He was taught by his father and worked as a teacher during his years in university.

As the head of the Lebanese parliament in 1923 and because of his career in law alongside his father's political work, Labaki connected and worked with many known figures in Lebanon. During that period, Labaki's name appeared in multiple newspapers, including Al Basheer, Al Hadeth, Al Shiraa, Al Maarad, Al Makshouf, and Nidaa Al Watan. In 1946, he wrote for Al Basheer under the pen name Darwesh, but because of his aggressive opening, the newspaper was completely shut down. He later wrote for Al Aamal.[1][8]

He gave lectures about Arabic poetry at the Institute of Arab Research and Studies in Cairo. He was interested in old and new Arabic literature. He also took an interest in French poetry and was particularly influenced by its romance and symbolism.

Labaki was a member of the National Bloc led by Émile Eddé. He was also part of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party[9] and was voted vice president.[10][11] He was incarcerated twice.[2] In the winter of 1951, Labaki, Michael Asmar, Ahmad Mekky, Ghassan Tueni, and Jamel Jabr gathered at the Al Nahar newspaper's offices and created an organization named Ahel Al Qalam. Labaki was voted president from 1952 to 1955.[12]

## Impact

[edit]

Labaki wrote poetry and prose,[13] and his books were printed multiple times. He also wrote poems that were not included in his books, but were published by newspapers like Al Qalb Al Dami, Mthli Kol Moheb, Otur Al Foaad, Al Thamaa, Mawt Al Shabab, Wa-ilayka bi-al-ward, and Fama Lelhar Ayesh Fi Makan.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

## Works

[edit]

Below is a list of Labaki's literary works:[4][21]

### Poetic

[edit]

* Orjuḥat al qamar – 1938.[22] Reprinted more than four times.[23]
* Mawā'īd – 1943. Introduced to Rushdie Al Maalouf.[24]
* Sa'am – 1949. Printed more than four times, and the beginning of the poem was written by the poet Said Aql.[25]
* Ghurabāʼ - 1956. Published after his death.[26]
* Ḥanīn – 1061. Published after his death.[27]

### Prosaic

[edit]

* Min aʻmāq al-jabal (Articles) – 1945.[28][29]
* Lubnān al-shāʻir – 1954.[30]
* Al-tayyārāt al-adabiyyaẗ al-ḥadīthah fī Lubnān – 1955.[31]
* He also translated: Būdlīr bi-qalamihi – 1969. Published after his death.

His poetic and prosaic works were published in two volumes in Beirut in 1981 according to the University Institution.[32][33]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "صلاح لبكي ومغامراته الشعرية". الموقع الرسمي للجيش اللبناني. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05.
2. ^ a b c d "بوابة الشعراء - صلاح لبكي". www.poetsgate.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
3. ^ ينظر: د. كامل فرحان صالح: حركية الأدب وفاعليته (في الأنواع والمذاهب الأدبية)، الحداثة، بيروت 2018، ط.2، 178.
4. ^ a b "صلاح لبكي". www.goodreads.com. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020. اطلع عليه بتاريخ 30 مارس 2020
5. ^ a b "صلاح لبكي - صلاح لبكي Biography - Poem Hunter". 2020-04-05. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
6. ^ الخطیب (2020-04-05). "(معجم المؤلفين (أدباء - الخطیب - Google Books". Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
7. ^ "معجم الأدباء 1-7 من العصر الجاهلي حتى سنة 2002م ج3 - كامل سلمان جاسم الجبوري - Google Books". 2020-04-05. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
8. ^ "تاريخ حزب الكتائب اللبنانية - Google Books". 2020-04-05. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
9. ^ فاضل, ربيعة أبي (2020-04-05). "أثر أنطون سعاده في أدباء عصره - أبو فاضل، ربيعة - Google Books". Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
10. ^ شوقي, خير الله (2020-04-05). "قصة الحزب - خير الله ، شوقي - Google Books". Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
11. ^ "قضية الحزب القومي \ - Google Books". 2020-04-05. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
12. ^ "صلاح نعوم لبكي". 2020-04-05. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
13. ^ صالح: حركية الأدب وفاعليته، م. س.، 178 (الهامش)
14. ^ جريدة المعرض 1930 - ع 896 - 6
15. ^ جريدة المعرض 1930 - ع 902 - 4
16. ^ المعرض 191 - ع 959
17. ^ المعرض 1932 - ع 982 - 8
18. ^ المعرض 1934 - ع 101 - 21
19. ^ جريدة الجمهور 1938 - ع 74 - 2
20. ^ الورود 1949 - ع 2 - 17
21. ^ "صلاح لبكي - Google Search". www.google.com.lb. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020. اطلع عليه بتاريخ 30 مارس 2020.
22. ^ Ṣalāḥ (1938). Urǧūḥat al-qamar. Bairūt: Manšūrāt Dār al-Makšūf. OCLC 313338887\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020.
23. ^ ارجوحة القمر. بيروت: دار ريحاني للطباعة والنشر،. 1955. OCLC 23498950\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020
24. ^ Ṣalāḥ (1959). Mawāʻīd. Bayrūt: Dār Rīḥānī. OCLC 23510463\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020
25. ^ Saʼam. (Book, 1959) [WorldCat.org]. 2020-04-05. OCLC 23510484. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
26. ^ Saʼam. (Book, 1959) [WorldCat.org]. 2020-04-05. OCLC 23510484. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
27. ^ Ṣalāḥ (1961). Ḥanīn. Bayrūt: Dār al-Rayḥānī li- al- Ṭibāʻah wa al-Nashr. OCLC 29267881\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020.
28. ^ من أعماق الجبل. Bayrūt, Lubnān: Manshūrāt Dār al-Makshūf. 1945. OCLC 10498601\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020
29. ^ Ṣalāḥ (1962). Min aʻmāq al-jabal. Bayrūt: Maktabat al-Madrasah : Dār al-Kitāb al-Lubnānī. OCLC 43180344\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020.
30. ^ Lubnān al-shāʻir (Book, 1954) [WorldCat.org]. 2020-04-05. OCLC 9346831. Archived from the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
31. ^ Ṣalāḥ (1955). al-Tayyārāt a-adabīyah al-ḥadīthah fī Lubnān. al-Qāhirah]; Maʻhad al-Dirāsāt al-ʻArabīyah al-ʻĀlīyah: Jāmiʻat al-Duwal al-ʻArabīyah ;. OCLC 23499165\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020
32. ^ الأعمال الكاملة: المجموعة الشعرية / صلاح لبكي. بيروت، لبنان: المؤسسه الجامعية للدراسات والنشر والتوزيع،. 1981. OCLC 11760999\. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020
33. ^ "صلاح لبكي". www.abjjad.com. مؤرشف من الأصل في 05 أبريل 2020. اطلع عليه بتاريخ 30 مارس 2020

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