Million's Poet Final: Hissa Hilal in Third Place

Tonight marked the final competition in the Million's Poet 2010 contest.  

Nasser AlAjami of Kuwait is the Million's Poet for 2010 with 67 points (out of 100).

Falah Al Mowraqi of Kuwait second with 63 points.

Hissa Hilal third with 62.

Or one can look at it another way, Hissa came ahead of 44 other poets.

Either way you look at it is a remarkable achievement.

She was born to a bedouin family.  Discouraged from pursuing poetry by her parents.  Raised in a society that has confused tribal taqlid from the Jahiliyya with a noble religion.  A society in which a 43 year old mother of two  needs her husband or her brother's permission to get a passport.  And their permission and presence to travel.

Yet she persevered.

And came in third in a field traditionally dominated by men.

But beyond the prize the more important thing is really the message.  The content.  Not the banner that one is given.  And she acquitted herself quite nicely.

I also found her quite an appealing sort of person.  

In the early episodes of the contest she was quite clearly nervous.  Having been kept down for so long, it must have been daunting to go out in front of such a large audience, including members of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, noted poets among the judges as well as tens of millions of TV viewers.  

There are also a couple of interviews with her on You Tube and she seems a down to earth sort of person.  Direct in her response to questions.  And displaying a flinty spine of steel on some issues.