Mahmoud al-Brekan, 73; Iraqi Poet Noted for His Free Verse

Mahmoud al-Brekan, 73, the Iraqi poet who was a pioneer of free verse in Arabic literature, died Saturday at his home in Basra, Iraq.

The Al-Thawra newspaper reported Sunday that he was killed by thieves who broke into his house.

Al-Brekan is remembered both for the quality of his verse and for his reluctance to publish it.

He never gave a reason for why he stopped publishing after a few years.

Nevertheless, photocopies of his free verse circulated widely in Arabic literary circles.

Among his best-known works are the collections of verse titled “The City’s Depth and the Silent Starvation,” “The Slaves Market” and “Dancing in Graveyards.”

The exiled Iraqi writer Hussein Shaban said that al-Brekan, a teacher, preferred not to publish in order “to avoid political, ideological and literary bickering” and “as a protest against coercion.”