Par excellence: Weaving poetry from the stuff of life

A young writer, Neelum Afridi is still navigating her way in a cut-throat literary world

PESHAWAR: The written word is Neelum Afridi’s canvas – a talent she has refined through persistence and dedication. An emerging voice in English poetry, she hails from Bara, a tehsil in the war-torn Khyber Agency and is a student of literature at Islamia College University.

Neelum has won multiple awards for her work and has come into the limelight for her sensitive portrayal of life as she knows it. One of her poems, The Arrow, was recited at an international literary conference in Germany.

The poet is among the founding members of the Young Women Writers Forum (YWWF), one of the two branches of Pakistan Women Writers Forum. The organisation comprises women writers who use the power of their pen to express their deepest concerns about society. It seeks to mentor budding writers through a series of workshops conducted by short story writers, journalists and published authors.

At least 10 of Neelum’s poems have been published in local newspapers and international magazines. These include The Story, Teddy’s farewell, Cackle of Dawn, A visit to my grave and Gratitude.

She also runs her own blog where she has also published some of her work.

“I am creative and think a lot,” she says. “I create scenes in my mind and put them into sketches and characters. This helps me write. I weave stories out of real life and into characters.”

Aspirations

Neelum’s parents were initially unsupportive of her dream to become a writer. Her father, Jehanbaz Afridi, was a doctor and wanted his daughter to follow in his footsteps. But she had other aspirations. From very early on, Neelum knew she wanted to be a poet and was committed to achieve her dream.

“I was unfit for medicine,” she says. “I was naturally inclined to writing. It was my passion.”

With time, her father realised her passion for poetry and has encouraged her in her literary endeavours.

After she completes her studies, Neelum aspires to become an educationist.

Rejection slip

A writer only wins half the battle when he or she finishes writing a piece. Getting published is the toughest part of the journey and requires perseverance.

Looking back at her own struggle, Neelum recalls how difficult it was to find a publisher.

“My work has been rejected on numerous occasions,” she says. “I struggled for over a year to get published. I had to work really hard to become a prolific writer. There were times when the going got particularly tough.”

However, Neelum soldiered on and did not give up on her dream.

“The effort paid off eventually,” she adds. Though Neelum knows, as do most writers, the struggle is never even nearly over.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2015.