Safannajah refers to a female ostrich. Tabrī suggests moving or presenting herself while running. Azʿar evokes sparse hair or feathers, and arbad a gray-dark coloring.
The simile has three elements:
Subject compared — the fast she-camel.
Comparison image — a female ostrich in motion.
Shared feature — agility, extended stride, and pace.
The poet evokes a recognizable desert animal rather than quantifying speed; readers can visualize the mount’s motion through the ostrich’s gait.
Opening interactive controls...
Ṭarafah ibn al-ʿAbd: She-Camel, Journey, Speed, and Pasture (Verses 11–16)
Safannajah refers to a female ostrich. Tabrī suggests moving or presenting herself while running. Azʿar evokes sparse hair or feathers, and arbad a gray-dark coloring.
The simile has three elements:
Subject compared — the fast she-camel.
Comparison image — a female ostrich in motion.
Shared feature — agility, extended stride, and pace.
The poet evokes a recognizable desert animal rather than quantifying speed; readers can visualize the mount’s motion through the ostrich’s gait.