Shaimaa al-Sabbagh: Biography & Poetry

Political Beliefs
What do your political beliefs say about you? Shaimaa al-Sabbagh was a 31-
year-old poet, mother, and activist as a member of the Socialist People's
Alliance Party (SPAP). Much of her work relates to Egypt's political landscape
in the early 2000s. Let's find out more about Sabbagh's life and work.

Tahrir Square
Many political factions opposed military rule since the overthrow of Egypt's
autocratic President and attempted to peacefully protest in 2011 in Tahrir
Square in Cairo despite government rules that enabled authorities to use force
to disperse protestors. As a result, nearly 900 protestors were killed during
rallies that year, most of which were members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Four years later, members of SPAP gathered at Tahrir Square to lay flowers as
a show of respect for those who died, even though the party supported the
military overthrow of autocratic leaders. It was a small gathering and while
Sabbagh expressed some concern that they might be mistaken for the
outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, her companions did not expect any trouble.
When a police officer opened fire, Sabbagh was shot and killed on film.
Originally, the officer was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison for
Sabbagh's death, but the appeals court overturned the ruling and the officer
was set free.

Tahrir Square in January 2011

Family and Background

Sabbagh's childhood was marked by her rebellion against her conservative
Muslim upbringing. During her teenage years, Sabbagh began frequenting
cafes in Alexandria where she met other Egyptian poets. She not only
developed her unorthodox poetic style, but learned political activism through
her new friends. Sabbagh married the artist, Osama el-Sehely, and had a 5-
year-old son, Bilal. She obtained a master's degree from the Academy of Arts
in Cairo and traveled extensively to learn more about Egyptian customs and
traditions.

Significant Works
Although Sabbagh's work is political in nature, her style subtly reveals her
views as she wrote about daily life. The following are her more notable works:

 ''A Letter to My Purse'' is a poem in which the author personifies her

lost purse and the intimate relationship she has with this inanimate
object in order to divulge the poet's fear and annoyance ''by the new
streets.''
 ''I am the Girl Banned from Christian Religious Classes'' is a poem that
seemingly foreshadows Sabbagh's murder as she vividly describes ''the
blood was racing the cars on the asphalt'' and depicts herself as ''the
girl banned from love in the squares.'' However, it is important to
remember that Sabbagh is one of many who have been killed during
peaceful gatherings in Cairo. Her death has had symbolic significance
because the murder was well-documented and Sabbaugh was a
published poet and well-known activist.

Lesson Summary
Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, an activist with the Socialist People's Alliance Party
(SPAP), was best known for publishing the poems ''A Letter to My Purse'' and
''I am the Girl Banned from Christian Religious Classes'' before she was
gunned down by police at 31 years of age, leaving behind her 5-year-old son,
her artist husband, and her conservative Muslim parents. Sabbagh was placing
flowers at Tahrir Square in Cairo to honor the hundreds of protestors who
were killed there in 2011 by the military-led government. Sabbagh did not
oppose the new government, but may have been mistaken for a member of the
outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Although her murder was videotaped, the
appeals court exonerated the officer and Sabbagh became a symbol of the
revolution. The poem ''I am the Girl Banned from Christian Religious Classes''
seemed to foreshadow her death with mentions of people dying in the street
and feeling unable to show love for them.