Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to examine contemporary Arab reality through the manifestations of paradox in Ahmed Matar's poem "Verse of the Explosion". It explores the concept and types of paradox, highlighting their role in constructing a politically and culturally critical image of the present. The research analyzes how the poet recontextualizes religious heritage-particularly the story of the Prophet's migration-to create a sharp contrast between a heroic past and a troubled present, revealing how this intertextual tension deepens readers' awareness and prompts them to question dominant narratives surrounding freedom and human dignity. Methodology: The study employs a descriptive-analytical methodology that investigates the poem's internal structure, focusing on its visual, linguistic, and dramatic dimensions. Particular attention is given to paradox as an aesthetic and cognitive strategy that disrupts expectations, generates semantic multiplicity, and exposes underlying tensions. The analysis traces verbal deviations, contradictions between literal and intended meanings, and dramatic inversions within the poem's symbolic and character-based frameworks. Conclusion: The findings indicate that paradox in the poem transcends mere stylistic function and emerges as a critical tool that unveils the oppressive mechanisms of authoritarian power and its suppression of free expression. Moreover, paradox destabilizes inherited sacred narratives by projecting them onto a contradictory contemporary context. The study concludes that paradox elevates the poem from communicative discourse to artistic innovation, guiding readers toward a deeper critical understanding of political and human realities.