Al-Mu'allaqat is a compilation of seven pre-Islamic Arabic qasidahs (odes), each regarded as the finest work of its creator. Because the authors are among the dozen or so most prominent poets of the sixth century, the selection holds a special place in Arabic literature, reflecting the best of early Arabic poetry. The term comes from a verse in one of the odes that introduces various types of birds. The poems in question are those of Anusim. They were not originally odes but rather incipits (opening lines) to poems by other poets. The names of these other poets are sometimes included in al-Mu'allaqat although this feature was probably added later. These anawis (poets) include Abū Nuwās and al-A'sṭāfī. Each al-Mu'allaqat contains three anawis. This means that there are 21 al-Mu'allaqat in all. They vary in length from few lines to more than one hundred. The first two al-Mu'allaqat were composed by Abū Nuwās.