Poetry night: Aspiring poets express views on social, political issues

Guitar School plans to hold regular singing, poetry reading events.

LAHORE:

Several budding poets, musicians and theatre artists gathered at the Guitar School on Friday night to share their views on social and political issues through poetry.

Raed Toosy, an instructor at the school, said the poetry night was organised to provide a platform where young artists could gather, share their views on various topics and show their talent. He said that though he did not read poetry regularly but he believed such sittings should be arranged on a weekly basis.

“It helps you express yourself in a very precise, if at time indirect, manner. Prose at times may lack such expression,” he said.

He said the Guitar School planned to hold events to promote poetry and music in future as well.

The stage was open to everyone. Among the eight that took to the stage were musicians affiliated with underground bands, poets and theatre performers.

Shahzad Noor of the music band Poor Rich Boy said reading poetry and listening to music were his favourite pastimes.

He said these activities always helped him explore new ideas. “Whenever I have to start work on a project, I read poetry and listen to some of my favourite musicians,” he said.

Theatre artist Umair Rana recited poetry he had first read as a child and developed a liking for. He also read excerpts from works of Roald Dahl.

He said people mostly start writing in their teenage. “For some, it is the time of their lives when nothing seems to be the way they want it to be. This inspires them to pen down their thoughts,” he said.

He said with time people develop a liking for some themes. He said as he grew up and matured as a person he had developed a taste for humour.

Maham Sohail, a poetess, recited three poems from her book Shades of Grey. These were Can You Catch the Wind, Till I Am Inspired and The Harvest of Profound Nothingness. She also recited some verses of an Urdu poem Dehshat.

Fatima Ejaz, a poetess based in Canada, recited poems she had written about her experience of living in Karachi and about her mother. Others who read poetry were Talia Shahbaz and musicians Asad Mujeeb, Mustafa Ali and ABS Jaffri.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2011.