The grove of recitation [Archives:2004/797/Culture]

By Mr. Khalid Al-Rowishan
The Minister of Culture and Tourism
(A word written on Mr. Al-Aqua latest book)
Where do those melodies come from to make our eyelids wet and our eyes pour?
And to where do those sounds waving and flying us ?
I wondered as my spirit was tasting “Al-Sana Lah” (1) as a soaring melody in horizons and also as a poem engraved on a mold made of golden speech.
And then, we have that capturing and captured sigh..
Is it actually a sigh or a moan coming out of the reciter's (2) throat bleeding, arresting and sparkled with anxiety, grief and yearning?
Moreover, we still have that unique, wonderful sense of humor, that delighting spirit, that sweet word, that creative, on-the-spot intuition and that fascinating munificent and openhandedness. The reciter spreads all such qualities, when he has already finished reciting a part of a sonnet, a graceful joke or a marvelous comment, or even a quick flying wave by his hand to friend sitting on the corner.
Reciter himself is a great ballad with his pure voice, pure conscience, chic costume, tactful talks with a great deal of great smiles, waving and greetings distributed by him.
Such a reciter distributes his jokes and comments in a precise courtesy and a tender policy. As a result, boredom could never exist in his presence.
Nobody would get bored with listening to his recitation or even his talks.
Gatherings always miss him, hearts always feel delighted by him and the place is overwhelmed by his scent and grace. The scent comes from perfumes and aloes and the grace comes from his cheerfulness and gaiety. When he speaks to you, even if he has never met you before, he always addresses you in pluralized titles, indicating his politeness and respect towards you! He never misses the chance to good-bye someone that would leave the place, nor does he miss the cheerfulness welcoming someone that would be arriving at the place.
Traditions of a city whose whiteness is magic itself, whose legends of the balconies of it's palaces are flowing falling on people passing through. And in return, visitors take their hats off greeting the bride of cities, Sana'a-greetings and congratulations on crowning Sana'a as a capital of Arabic Culture. Among all this, there is a reciter who deserves greetings taking hats off at the same time! This is Mr. Ali Muhsen Al-Aqua: a nectar of recitation and a faithful reciter. He is a rose full of vitality in a charming bouquet of his colleagues of reciters. Upon such reciters, we strongly rely and depend for the purpose of vitalizing and reviving the grove of recitation in Yemen.

Notes:
(1) Al-Sana Lah is a famous traditional Yemeni Ballad.
(2) Reciter in Yemen is a person of a very beautiful voice. He usually attends gatherings like wedding parties not only to recite unique different poems, but also to make people enjoy the time by all wonderful thins done by the reciter (as mentioned in the article above).
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