CREATIVE WRITINGS
Every memorable journey begins with crossing the in-betweens. But what makes a good story is passing through the unpleasant episodes and filling in the in-betweens with memories to own and recall. The concept of the in-between has an eerie aspect to it when it comes to Arabic and Persian cultures. The concept is Barzakh, which means “limbo, barrier, partition” or “obstacle” and “separation”. In its most eschatological sense, Barzakh is a place between the state living and the death, right after one is put into the grave. But in the medieval mystical tradition, Barzakh was given a more philosophical meaning by writers and the poets, who saw it as a place where reality and imagination meet. In this meaning, Barzakh becomes the intelligence that is the result of creative imagination. In combining my observations of life, living in distinct cultures, crossing barriers, and making sense of reality, I have come to believe in the latter meaning of Barzakh. For me, creative writing has also served as the most effective means to make sense of all things past and present.
FIND ME AS A WRITER HERE:
https://vocal.media/authors/parwana-fayyaz
https://www.carcanet.co.uk/cgi-bin/indexer?owner_id=1901
FIND ME AS A WRITER HERE:
https://vocal.media/authors/parwana-fayyaz
https://www.carcanet.co.uk/cgi-bin/indexer?owner_id=1901
FORTY NAMES
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NEW POETRIES VIII
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Published Poems:
FORTY NAMES, Carcanet, July 2021, Manchester, UK
[Also in Italian transaltion]: Quaranta Nomi, Traduzione e cura di Lea Niccolai, 2022, Aguaplano, Italy
New Poetries VIII, Carcanet, Jan 2021, Manchester, UK
“Reading Nadia with Eavan,” MANTIS, Jan 2021, Stanford University, California, USA.
Four Poems, PN Review, Issue 241, May-June 2018, Manchester, UK: “Forty Names”; “A Survival Prayer”; “My Grandmother’s Ruby Ring”; “The Cursed Man”
Four Poems, PN Review, Issue 250, Nov-Dec 2019, Manchester, UK: “A Letter to Flower and Crown”; “Grandma’s Old Love Story”; “The City-Route”; “End of the Winter
Poetry readings and events:
On Poetry and Poetics:
Online Book Launch "Citizen Poet: New and Selected Essays" by Eavan Boland 19:00, Wednesday 2 October 2024 [https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KClZWAl_R2Os9FbafxoxAw?mc_cid=0cb79ac74a#/registration]
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On Non-Fiction & Afghanistan, on MY DEAR KABUL:
Saturday 19 October 2024 @ 5:00 pm @Wimbledon Book Festival
[My Dear Kabul
Stories of Afghanistan: Reporting from the Front Line]
Monday 16 September 2024. 19:00-20:30.
@British Library Pigott Theatre and online
[The Story of the Afghan Women’s Writing Group]
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Tuesday 17 September 2024, 12.00-14.00 Venue: The Weston Room, Maughan Library, King’s College London
[Panel Discussion: Dear Diary - from the personal to the collective]
[past events]
25 Jan, 2024
The Afghanistan Society Winter Event
Celebrating Afghan culture and tradition
www.humanmovement.cam.ac.uk/events/afghanistan-society-winter-event
29 Jan, 2024
poetry reading at Peterhouse, 8.45 PM at Fellow's Parlour, CB2 1RD
Writing Girlhood at 2023 Belfast Book Festival, 17the of June 2023
AFGHANISTAN’S UNHEARD VOICES at Bradford Literature Festival, 1st of July 2023
In Verona, receiving the prestigious PRIX CATULLO 2023
Bergen International Literary Festival, Feb 11, 2023
My Language is my Bird
The Society of Authors and EXILED WRITERS INK
The Society of Authors and EXILED WRITERS INK
Sept 29- Padua, Italy
October 1- Spoleto, Italy
October 4- Florence, Italy
[Birmingham Literature Festival 2022]
October 8th, 2022
My Pen is the Wing of a Bird: Stories from Afghan Women
October 9th, 2022:
Writing from a Warzone: Bosnia, Afghanistan & Ukraine
York Festival of Ideas
Cambridge Literary Festival
The Cheltenham Poetry Festival
Afghanistan Through Afghan Voices
Wordsworth Grasmere
StAnza Poetry Festival
Verve Festival of Poetry and Spoken Word
[past events]
“Virtual Poetry Event: on the Issue of Minority,” The Trinity BA Society, Trinity College, Cambridge University, May 2021.
“Peterhouse English Lockdown Dinner,” Peterhouse, Cambridge University, February 2021.
“New Poetries VIII Launches,” Carcanet Press, Manchester, February 2021.
“Persian Poetry in Translation,” Oxford Translation Day, online, May 2020.
“Poetry in our Lives,” Trinity Forum, Trinity College, Cambridge University, February 2020.
“Forty Names and Life,” 5X15, Speaker, November 2019. The Tabernacle w11, London.
“A Poet’s Life and Memories” Reading with Jackie Kay Trinity College, Cambridge University, November 2020.
