Eighteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

As a result of series of catastrophes inflicting Iraq since mid-twentieth century, the tradition of diaspora and exile is deeply rooted in Iraqi diasporic poetry. Many modern Iraqi poets have been forced to live in exile and diaspora in different parts of the world due to the continuous repressive and harsh state practices and oppression under different regimes.This paper explores the role of memory in the diasporic poetry of Sa’adi Yousif. Much of Yousif’s diasporic poetry contains images, metaphors, and narratives of haunted memories of his homeland, Iraq. In his poetry, Yousif laments his separation from the homeland, while creating dreams about this return. He writes about nostalgia for Iraq while in exile, but when he writes about it he conveys his memories of his past suffering in a nation he left in ruins.