I am the one whose poetry even the blind have…
Quote
I am the one whose poetry even the blind have seen, and whose words have reached the deaf.
Arabic original
أنا الذي نظر الأعمى إلى أدبي، وأسمعت كلماتي من به صمم.
What it means
The deliberately impossible image proclaims the poet’s fame: his work would be powerful enough to reach everyone. This is a hyperbole of literary pride, not a literal claim about sight or hearing.
The story behind this quote
In Wa-harra qalbah, al-Mutanabbi moves from reproaching his patron to asserting his own talent. This verse belongs to that declaration of poetic distinction.
The poet extends the recognition of his work beyond what the senses ordinarily allow. That excess gives the line its force. Read within the sequence of self-praise, the exaggeration asserts his standing amid rivalries and criticism rather than describing an actual physical event.
The source
واحر قلباه ممن قلبه شبم, من قصيدته في عتاب سيف الدولة, 957
The text appears in the indicated source. A traditional attribution remains distinct from proof of authorship: see the context.
More quotes by Al-Mutanabbi
I have no need of homelands; no longing for return carries me back to a land I have left.
Among human failings, I have seen none like the shortcomings of those capable of perfection.
The noblest place in the world is the saddle of a swift horse, and the best companion is a book.
If you see a lion baring its fangs, do not imagine that it is smiling.
What use is sight to a person if light and darkness are the same to him?
Author
Al-Mutanabbi
Abu al-Tayyib al-Mutanabbi is often considered the greatest poet of the Arabic language. His verses, famous for their pride and concision, are still quoted as proverbs throughout the Arab world.
Quotes by Al-Mutanabbi