Biographies: Ahmad Fouad Negm - Writer

Biographies

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Ahmad Fouaad Negm is one of the most important colloquial poets in Egypt, one of the most influential Egyptian Leftists and a prominent figure in art and poetry dedicated to toiling masses against corrupt ruling classes. Because of that, he was imprisoned for 18 years. His name is related to al-Sheikh Emaam, the singer and composer, where Emaam translated Negm’s lyrics to reflect the spirit of public protest that began upon the June 1967 setback. French poet Louis Aragon said: “Ahmad Fouaad Negm has the strength to drop the walls”. Dr. ‘Aly al-Raa’y named him “Al-shaa’er al-bondokeyya i.e. The Gunshot Poet” while President Sadaat named him “Al-shaa’er al-bathee’ i.e. The Obscene poet”. In 2007, Negm was chosen Ambassador of the poor by the Arab Group at the United Nations Poverty Action. Negm was born in al-Sharkeyya (Delta of Egypt) to an illiterate farmer (Haanem Morsy Negm) and a police officer (Muhammad ‘Ezzat Negm) in a 17 brothers and sisters family (only five were alive and the sixth was lost). Like the majority of country Egyptian children, he joined the village religion classes “Kuttaab”. Upon his father’s death, Negm went to live with his maternal uncle (Hussein) in Zagazeeg then joined an orphanage in 1936, where he met Abdul Haleem Haafez. In 1945, at the age of 17, he returned to his native village to work as shepherd. After that, he moved to Cairo to stay with his brother who threw him out afterwards. A few years later, Negm worked in a British military camp and helped the guerilla. After the abolition of the Egyptian-British treaty, the Egyptian National Movement called on the Egyptians to leave British camps, so did Negm. Al-Wafd Government employed him at the Mechanical Transport Workshops. During that period, some corrupt officials stole equipment from the workshops. When Negm tried to intercept them, they wrongfully accused him of counterfeit, which lead him to a 3-year imprisonment at the “Kara Meedaan” prison where he met his sixth brother ‘Aly Muhammad Ezzat Negm. In his last year in jail, Negm won “Al-ketaab al-awaal i.e. The primer” competition organized by the Supreme Council for the Care of Arts and Letters. He then became, while imprisoned, famous after Saheer al-Kalamaawy wrote the preface of his first colloquial divan “Sowar men al-hayaah wal-seg-n i.e. Photos of life and prison”. After being released, he worked at the Afro-Asiatic People’s Solidarity Organization, became one of the Egyptian Radio poets and lived in a humble room on the roof of a building in Beaulac al-Dakrour district. Negm first met al-Sheikh Emaam at the alley of Howsh Adam (from Turkish “Khoush Kadam” i.e. Good omen”, then they decided to share the same residence so that they became a legendary artistic and patriotic duet and the alley became an intellectual focal point. Ahmad Fouaad Negm wrote about Guevara, the symbol of Revolution of the 20th century. The legendary colloquial poet won the first award of the referendum of the Arab Poetry News Agency.

16 May 2011
Achraf Wassim