The poetry of Muzaffar Al-Nawab links the political struggle of Iraq to his personal experience of identity and betrayal. Born in Baghdad, the poet has experienced a lifetime of political turmoil. Each new change appears to benefit the people on the surface, but Al-Nawab has devoted his artistic career to illustrating how they have hurt the people more than helped.
Al-Nawab's poem contain a definite tone of communal identity. He is an Arab, but he is more a kinsman to his neighbors than any sort of political or ideological representation could imply. In poems like "In the Old Tavern" Al-Nawab writes about the people at the bottom of the system. Either they've been rejected by society or they're on their way out, like him. Willingly adopting the identity of the outcast -- later realized in his expat days, -- Al-Nawab is able to speak on behalf of the people who aren't normally represented in government decisions.
This communal identity extends beyond feelings of isolation with a sort of rhetorical invitation. "The Disavowal" expresses Al-Nawab's promise that the next generation, however harmed in their innocence, will belong somewhere. They're building a community, based on certain political ideals, but mostly upon love and care and loyalty. He's hoping to spare others the isolating urges which have long characterized his own life, as outlined in "Iv-Letter-Word," among other poems.
