Raihanaty A Jalil

I HAVE MOVED TO A NEW WEBSITE

2017-03-31T19:55:00.001+08:00

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POEM: Freedom

2013-03-03T20:23:00.001+08:00

Some fear marriage is a prison
When it is actually freedom
Freedom for the loving soul, who seeks security and fulfilment
Who is otherwise shackled by uncertainties and inhibitions
Freedom for the cautious heart, who seeks love and acceptance
Who is otherwise caged by its own defences
Freedom for the confused mind, who seeks clarity and focus
Who is otherwise chained by indecision and inconsistencies
Freedom for the virtuous senses, who seek purity in pleasure
Who are otherwise restrained in their modesty before God.

POEM: The silence of friends

2012-08-08T11:36:00.000+08:00

Is the silence deafening?
You seem anxious as you sprinkle your words in the stillness of this quiet room.

Is the silence comforting?
You seem peaceful as I watch you float from this place to a private world of your own.

Is the silence beautiful?
You seem pleased as you share this moment of quiet contemplation.

Is the silence painful?
You seem yourself though you mask fears of things unknown.

Is the silence painful?
You seem composed though you hold back turbulent rivers that urge to flow.

Is the silence painful?
You seem patient though you silently fight the persistent need for noise...

Purchase "Unveiling" to read more of my poetry

POEM: Myself

2012-08-04T11:47:00.000+08:00

I had been searching, unsure for so long,
But I found myself recently;
It wasn’t a pleasant experience,
To find what I did not like to see.

I had struggled for so long, suppressing,
What I suppose was always me,
What I do not like to see,
From which I wish to be free.

I am calculated manipulation;
I am a selfish downpour of explosives;
I am arrogance contained;
I am...scarred.

I struggle in this fight;
I am but floating, carried by the currents;
I struggle, clutching to Your Rope;
I fear losing sight of the Sure...

Purchase "Unveiling" to read more of my poetry

POEM: This Heart

2012-08-01T11:50:00.000+08:00

Oh my Lord,
keep this heart on Deen;
it struggles to remain constant, forever seeking
that soul with whom it's been.

So, dear Lord,
protect this fluttering heart;
it ceaselessly wavers, in hope as it searches
for that missing, complementary part.

And, my Lord,
answer this heart's cries;
help it see clearly beyond the glitter
that often dazzles its eyes.

And, dear Lord,
strengthen this heart in me;
give it patience while it must wait
for the one who holds its key.

Finally, my Lord,
make this heart clear,
about ALL that will bring it near
and will save it from weary tears.

Purchase "Unveiling" to read more of my poetry

POEM: The Dawn of Mercy

2012-07-22T14:29:00.000+08:00

I was inspired to write this while being part of the Celebrate Mercy movement.

* * * * *

Did you know there is Wisdom in the alternation of the days
In the setting of the moon as the sun casts out its rays?
Did you know there is an Answer
To the Question that burns in our souls?

When you feel the burdens of the world weighing on your shoulders
When you feel overcome by the heaviness of your plight
Remember
Just as the night's darkest hour precedes the very brink of Light
"After every hardship, there is Ease"

So when life tests your strength and patience
Take notice of the passing of the nights to the days
Listen to its whispers of God's Promise of Relief and Flight
When the Dawn of Mercy returns all to Right.

Purchase "Unveiling" to read more of my poetry

22 July 2012 - Being part of Celebrate Mercy in Perth, Western Australia

Rajo Fundraiser Performance - the story they didn't know...

2012-07-18T22:37:00.000+08:00

I look at the clock - 12:20pm, implying there is less than six hours before I am expected at Morley Recreation Centre for the Rajo Fundraiser! I take a deep breath and glance at the printout of the poem I have written just for the night.

I still remember my initial telephone conversation with Alim those many weeks ago; I remember listening to him
paint a picture of what the night would be like - the night's theme of "Education and Financial Empowerment of Women", the speakers who have been invited, and most significantly, the Muslim Aid video that will be screened. I remember getting off the phone, the beginnings of an idea slowly forming in my mind about what the focus of my new poetic piece would be.
And here I am, weeks later, rehearsing the poem I am soon to perform at the Dinner tonight.

I stand in front of my vanity mirror, holding the sheet of paper, yet looking ahead at my reflection, practicing how I would recite my poem - mentally noting the tone, the pace and the points requiring emphasis. As I read the lines aloud, I can't help but find myself not able to say them as I know I will in the moment, on stage, in 'real-time'.
Because ever since high-school, I've always been the type of person who struggles giving 100% during rehearsal time when it came to 'acting' - I find myself getting nervous and self-conscious, my voice growing quiet. Yet on the performance day itself, it is as if I am able to fool my mind and convince myself that, just for this finite period of time 'on stage', I will be 'someone else' - I will perform my character so believably that it will move the crowd. And then, the moment the performance has concluded, I will simply 'switch' back into my normal self.
As strange as this may all sound, I suppose it has always been my secret strategy to overcoming 'stage fright'.

I arrive now at the venue, much earlier than expected. I feel some butterflies as I approach the registration table. I look inside and hear the hustle and bustle, the amazing Rajo crew busily ensuring the set-up is done to perfection and ready before any of the guests arrive at the expected time of 6:30pm. At this point, I notice the stage and begin picturing in my mind where I will stand in reference to the projector screen.
I am finally introduced to Alim face-to-face for the first time, who then directs my attention to the guy who I assume will be the "Techie" for the evening - the Techie (whose name I cannot recall, but I think it begins with an 'M') walks me through the presentation set-up and the plans for the lighting.
I nervously save my introduction video onto their laptop, then I am assisted to insert the video into the Rajo powerpoint presentation itself. I hurriedly test the video and sound but only allow the beginning of the video to play very briefly, afraid of ruining the 'surprise'. Only two people know what I have planned - the element of surprise is perhaps one of the biggest factors to ensure the strong impact I envision for my performance.
Casually, I give my quick thanks to Mr Techie and will him away, continually praying silently that my video intro will not accidentally play before the scheduled time! I finally slip behind the curtains, sussing the stage area, holding my Miss Erika bag that carries the secret items of clothing no-one will expect. I place the bag at the very back of the large stage, clearly planning in my mind what I must do when the moment arrives.

Everyone now seated, the formal proceedings begin, speeches and powerpoint presentations shared, and finally, my name is called. My name is called too early - they haven't showed the Muslim Aid video yet that is meant to precede my presentation! I have no choice but to simply 'go with the flow', and so up to the stage I confidently walk to disguise the nervous, quick re-planning that must take place in my head. I barely remember the words that I spoke into the microphone that moment, but they attempted to fool the audience into believing that all was going according to plan.
Finally, after playing the Muslim Aid video and introducing the video to my poetic presentation, and remembering I have about a minute to 'dress', I quickly disappear behind the curtains and sprint as quietly as I can to the back of the stage where my 'costume' lays. "Shoot", I mutter under my breath at the sound of the thud my toes make with the wooden floor, and I silently pray the audience didn't hear my pitter patter!
My emotions are high at this point. As I hurriedly fumble with and slip on the 'African patterned dress' and plain black scarf over my formal evening attire, I breathe deeply to calm my racing heart.

I can hear the video ending. I quietly walk to the middle of the stage, just where the curtains meet, and on the video's cue, ruffle through the curtain's opening into the spotlight. For the next few minutes, I am no longer Raihanaty A Jalil - for the next few minutes, I am Hawa Abdullahi Farah...

Be careful what you wish for

2012-07-14T11:08:00.002+08:00

I made a discovery on 11 June 2012.

I suppose this idea had been brewing in my mind for some time, but it was on this day that those small puzzle pieces of the past finally fell into place.

I discovered that I have been focussing on the wrong thing all this time. Being an emerging writer, trying to get a 'readership' is hard work - but it occurred to me on 11 June that
simply trying to get more Facebook fans or being the "I-follow-back" Twitter type hasn't been doing me any favours.
Having thousands of "fans" or "followers" who aren't truly interested in me as a Writer or Poet is actually like having no following at all.

So on 11 June 2012, I decided it was time to share my realisations and announce, "It's time for a Twitter clean-up. I won't be offended if you unfollow me too, rather Thank-You and all the best in your endeavours."
My 40+ followers have since reduced to a humble 23 - and continue to decline further.

And that's okay.
It reminds me of those days in Primary and High-school where having a lot of 'friends' was of utmost importance for our standing in that unspoken social hierarchy that existed. But as we grew older and slowly learned through experience that our True Friends are the ones who stick by us through all our ups and downs, physical-body-changes, financial-circumstance-shifts - that True Friends are the ones who were there during our High Points, yet are still there to break our fall after we have tumbled to the Lowest of Low Points. As we grew older, we began recognising the value of Quality over Quantity, and how having just a handful of loyal, trustworthy, genuine friends makes us richer than even the richest of men.
So as we go "forward" into this new Social Media World we have created, it would be quite sad and even "backward" to not apply the lessons learnt from yesterday.

Thus, my New Approach will be to simply write - and then write some more - as I continue to pray that at least a handful of people may be affected and inspired by my writing, because there is no greater gift than knowing that my words resonate with another human being.

Much Appreciation to my loyal True Friends.

Morning Pages

2012-07-09T08:00:00.000+08:00

On the 1 June 2012, a friend and I decided to begin "Morning Pages". What a fascinating journey it has been...

When I was younger, in primary and high-school, I used to keep a diary and write in it almost every day - but Morning Pages has been a completely new experience, so valuable for both my personal and work life.

I believe that when you decide on a goal to work towards and put it in writing, God helps you along your journey and Wills people and opportunities to cross your path that reinforce you in working towards your dreams.
So it was by 'chance' that

I learnt about Morning Pages. I bumped into a friend one day and she happened to mention in passing that "I need to start Morning Pages again." Intrigued, having never heard of the phrase before, naturally, I asked what exactly that was, and I learned for the first time its principles - that is, committing to writing 3 handwritten A4 pages every morning, about anything and everything that may be on your mind.

Not long after, I spoke to a friend who is also an aspiring writer, and discussed the idea of starting this new venture together, sharing the experiences my friend had shared with me, that Morning Pages is like taking "the morning dump" but of our minds, and that many people have found aspirations and dreams they've written down becoming a reality.

And so the start date we decided on, the beginning of the following month of June, quickly approached.
My first "session" of Morning Pages was an interesting one. I literally began writing, "I don't know what to write...", and after only half a page of writing, already, my hand was aching! Nonetheless, I persevered and finally completed three pages of just my stream of consciousness.

One notable experience I felt that was different to keeping a journal was - the sense of achievement you feel every time you reach that goal of three pages of writing. Also, in forcing yourself (and allowing yourself) to write about whatever is swimming in your mind, (as opposed to picking up your journal to write about a notable thought or experience), really truly does clear your mind of its clutter, which has in fact opened up my mind to new, creative and innovative ideas!
Furthermore, the days that I've used Morning Pages to offload any burdens and issues that have been weighing heavy on my mind, I have found that in that process of writing about it and "letting go", the very same day, the issue has resolved itself!

Lately, I've been finding Morning Pages has been extremely useful in helping me make decisions about things relating to both my personal life and my business. Once again, in the process of discussing the primary things on my mind, looking at their pros and cons, I find by the end of the third page, I have made key decisions on actions I must take that day. The last couple of weeks in particular have been so productive and effective.

I truly am thankful for this gift that I've only recently discovered that I have drawn so much benefit from, and I am extremely excited about all that is to come!

I love the number 13 =)

2012-07-06T10:04:00.002+08:00

I love the number 13, especially when it falls on a Friday. It's an occasion that doesn't happen very often, so I think it's a time worth celebrating!

So, until Friday 13th of this month of July, my book will be on sale - 50% off!

To get your copy, simply:

1) Go to this link: "Unveiling" at Smashwords

2) Scroll to the bottom on the page and choose a format you want it in (if you are reading it just on a computer, choose PDF) and click "Buy".

3) Create an account with Smashwords - or Sign In if you already have an account.

4) Follow the instructions; when it asks if you have a Coupon, type this code (not case-sensitive): YE96L

IMPORTANT NOTE: Offer has been extended to 31 July 2012 as part of Smashwords' Site-wide July Promotion. The NEW COUPON CODE: SSW50

POEM: Forever Dreaming

2012-06-13T23:26:00.002+08:00

I just had the great pleasure of speaking to a lively bunch of my peers, from the Young Women's Leadership Program, facilitated by Alicia Curtis. This is a poem from my book that I had hoped they would relate to in their own journeys towards the realisation of their dreams.

* * *

Have you ever had a dream
That you never dared believe you could reach
That just too 'impossible' it seemed
And so only to Him, of those wishes, you would speak.

Yet have you arisen one day
From restless, unfulfilled sleep
To suddenly be feeling the rays
Of a hope you had hidden deep.

But how does one describe
The 'elation' that one feels
Upon learning those very dreams of mine
Could one day become real.

How does one explain
What cannot be understood
What must surely brand me insane
Being without 'proof'.

Yet this 'certainty' within
I cannot help but feel
Even though fears may set in
That 'sureness' they can no longer steal.

So in spite of where I find myself now
Not being where I'd hoped to be
I shall not cease praying that His Will allows
The fulfillment of that dream I hold close to me.
Purchase "Unveiling" to read more of my poetry

25 Random Things About Me

2012-04-22T08:07:00.000+08:00

1. I would describe myself as a "blur" (which appears to make Wajma go into hysterics...hmm I haven't figured out why as yet...) - because I find I have just far TOO many RANDOM/varied/disconnected interests/passions. I find I enjoy doing/experiencing/learning about too many RANDOM things. I feel like a piece of me is/wants to be everywhere at once. And so I find great difficulty focusing my energies into just one thing...and thus, I am a BLUR :)
...And yet, upon reflection, I think I've worked out a purpose behind/connection between my otherwise apparent RANDOMness... Wallahu 'Alam :)

2. The one thing those who know me well will agree on as a quality I possess is: I am CRAZY! :P I am unpredictable
- even to myself. I love adventure/thrills - I'm the kind of person who (not hypothetically speaking but ACTUALLY speaking from real life), after seeing the Bunjy-jumping bridge next to Victoria Falls, will think to myself, "Hmm...I was expecting that I'd be jumping from the TOP of the falls, not so far away from the falls... hmm... NAH - not interested in bunjy-jumping now - doesn't look thrilling enough."
...hehe but as I will always argue: "My apparent INsanity is what keeps me sane" ;-)

3. I find great pleasure in surprising people/moving people/provoking thought in people. And so the moments in my life when I’ve felt “high” (without the drugs :P ) – felt like my soul is “soaring” from the experience – have been in times such as at my high-school graduation, standing before a crowd of a couple hundred people who believe they have me totally figured out, (esp. after seeing me all over those wonderful AIC school promo material), who see me as Miss Shy-Quiet-A+-Nerd-Always studying-“Better not joke with her; she might get offended”; and then cause the whole gymnasium to erupt with laughter… just feels AWESOME! :D

4. I love stories – reading them, writing them, but especially hearing them. I love the intricate details people too often leave out. I’m not interested in just ‘the point’ – I’m interested in the journey, the sequence of events, the feelings.

5. I love giving gifts – when they’re not expected. To me, the fact that someone is a dear friend/loved one is reason enough to give them a gift.
I love giving gifts in unconventional ways… hehe I’ll leave it up to my friends to shed some light on some of those “ways” if they so wish :P …And actually, there’s a purpose behind why I do so :) I figure, “I could simply walk over to you and give you this mug; then you’ll be like, ‘Aww, thanks Rai! That’s very thoughtful of you!’ But I love stories, and I like to share what I love… so instead, I’m going to call your work, find out when you’re not present, sneak over there and tell your receptionist to greet you when they next see you with, ‘Hey!!! OMG congratulations on your engagement!’ and hand you the wrapped mug – while you stand there stunned, thinking aloud, ‘Huh, I’m not engaged!’ …After which you’ll have more than just a mug – you’ll have a story ;)” lol and I’ll have heaps of fun hearing about it after!

6. I am a self-confessed lazy-person (aka LP) and I believe that in fact, to maintain a life of laziness takes SKILL ;-)
[Read my blog post about LPs to learn more.]

7. Over and above anything else, I love my Deen (Al-Islam) – I live it (obviously), breathe it (in every posture in every Salat/prayer), eat it (Halal), rock/wear it (Hijab), listen to it (Al-Quran/Nasheed/Nasihah/Khutbah when I can – never enough), rep it :P (Muslimah), preach it (at least informally through my actions – me not into door-knocking).
It is my consciousness – the foundation for my very thought.
It is my sight – the lens through which I view the world.
It is my power – there is no space for fear while one believes in a Superior Being Who looks out for them, Who ensures their due rights to equity and justice – if not possible now, then in the hereafter.
It is my freedom – from attachment/enslavement to any of a host of desires one may have (wealth, status, love…), through attachment only to Him.

8. I love life – the mystery of it – the not knowing what to expect ahead, I feel, is part of the excitement and adventure of it all! I love the ‘spices’ Allah sprinkles into my life – the challenges, the sorrows, the joys – which I feel makes life much more interesting than had we lived a routine, predictable, perfect (boring – not even worth writing about/reading about/watching on TV) one.

9. I am often deep in thought, lost in my own world, because I AM deep, oh so deeeeeeeep I sometimes feel I may drown in myself! :P Latifa once described me as an onion – with so many layers that I peel off ever so cautiously. Yep, I would agree with that description :)
…But then I think there are only 3 layers to me: the exterior (which is what people see – or believe they see), the interior (which is what some may be privileged to see), and the deeeeeper aspect of me (which I don’t share too often – but which I think comes out in my writing quite a bit…) Wallahu ‘Alam.

10. Did I forget to mention I love to write? Oh, I have? Hehe I’m sure the above so far is evidence of that! And I feel quite exhausted now from all this thinking, so I’ll try keep the rest more to the point:

11. I love chocolate (the bar, ice-cream, biscuits – no matter the genre, I’ll still love it) – esp. Lindt mmmmm

12. I am crazy about cars – in particular sporty ones and those beautifully shaped vintage ones.

13. I love the thrill of racing… but I’m a good girl and offcourse don’t race and am speaking hypothetically…

14. I love the idea of lying on the grass and simply watching the clouds go by while reflecting on life – haven’t done so for a long time though…

15. I love pictures that capture ‘moments’ rather than those posed.

16. I love scenic places – visiting them, seeing pictures of them.

17. I love the color blue – and find myself attracted to all things blue.

18. I love keeping active – sports (in particular, basketball and soccer; oooh but also Karate – how I miss Karate…), walking around and around and around my backyard in the afternoons while the gentle breeze brushes past my face.

19. I may look small and petit (=’weak’), but trust me when I say I have a killer punch, and a killer grip… I love the “crack” sound the air makes when I cut through it, especially when I’m ‘in gear’.

20. I’m not a big fan of ‘gold’ – I prefer silver/white gold.

21. I love pretty dresses – I need to stop my collection from growing further still…

22. Until recently (probably because of the influence of my friend Hoda, the Designer behind "Miss Erika"), I never did care too much about shoes and handbags etc, and tended to buy what’s practical/neutral colored and wear it OUT before I bothered getting something new. (Though I’d still much rather spend on customizing my baby – my Swift – than on shoes and bags…)

23. I am not very house-trained as yet… but I do enjoy ‘experimental cooking’. I can’t cook anything ‘traditional’ I’m afraid… most of the things I have cooked usually my family aren’t too inclined to eat because it’s too healthy/looking.

24. I’m passionate about youth work in particular, but community work in general.

25. I’m looking for my Ali ibn Abu Talib – no, I take that back. I’m tired of looking – he can come and find me.

The Story Behind my First Book

2012-04-07T14:10:00.004+08:00

Looking back, I am realising that it was not the days, but the pivotal moments that changed the course of my life.

After working in the community sector for nearly four years, I reached a stage where I felt I had exhausted my purpose and decided to only work till the end of my contract, but I was still unsure of what new direction to take.

I still remember the moment,
sitting on my bed in introspection, suddenly noticing that nagging voice that had always been at the back of my mind, telling me to "Write!". I still remember deciding for the first time to DO something about my lifelong dream to publish my work.

I believe in setting small achievable milestones in order that we can fool our minds and give ourselves reasons to celebrate small successes, for the greater purpose of keeping us steadfast on that path towards that Bigger Goal.
In this light, I decided to start with a smaller project and pull together something I had already written, namely my poetry, and compile it into a collection that I would describe as a 'poetic autobiography', describing my life journey through my collection of poetry, written over the past 14 years of my life since I was a teenager.

To my own surprise, I managed to find, edit and compile my poetry book in a span of 2 weeks after that pivotal moment. In those 2 weeks, I immersed myself in reading and re-reading my poetry, writing and re-writing the introduction and other notes for my book, and finally researching how to get my book published and distributed by eBook retailers such as iBooks and Kindle. Thanks to my good friend Google, I learnt about a company called Smashwords that made the dream of publishing my book within grasp.

Nonetheless, there were bumps along the way towards getting my book finally published and available through eBook retailers. Regardless, that extra time to proof-read my book ended up being a blessing, as I made further revisions along the way.

Finally, on 28 December 2011, my eBook "Unveiling" was officially published through Smashwords.

Read a sample or buy my book from this link.

Listen and Trust

2012-04-02T23:17:00.000+08:00

I was asked to talk at an International Women's Day event, held at the University of Western Australia. Truthfully, I was still trying to overcome a stubborn cough the past month. I don't know what I was thinking when I accepted the request; I guess I thought those extra 4 days before the event date itself may be enough time to recover...

Well, it wasn't! But do you know what the strange thing was?
The moment I walked in the lecture theatre

and saw some old faces who came up to me to greet me, my cough refused to let me have a proper conversation, interrupting rudely every few seconds!
However, when I was called up to give my speech, those 15-20mins I was talking to the small crowd, my cough behaved extremely well and didn't start its usual rant, not even a single time!
This cough of mine truly has a mind of its own...

Let me share a little about the talk I gave.
The lovely lady who called me, Shamim Samani (who I once volunteered alongside on the Board for an NGO known as "The Muslim Women's Support Centre of WA"), told me to focus my talk on, "...how you have gone beyond your comfort zones to pursue what is meaningful to you and how this is important for your personal growth as well as valuable to the community."

At this point, I should probably admit that - one of my secret pleasures is actually public speaking... I realise public speaking is feared by most people even more than death, but for me, I don't know what it is about it, but I simply love standing in front of a crowd with the mic in my hand and watching, feeling the room grow still; I love connecting with people through my words and watching their changing emotions on their faces. It injects life into me.

Okay, let me stop digressing and get back to my topic - in my mental preparation for my speech, I decided to give my speech a theme. It took me quite a bit of time trying to summarise my theme, but finally, in just the last hour before I was expected in that lecture theatre, I honed my jumble of thoughts into the following words: Listen and Trust.

There have been numerous moments in my short lifespan where I have been forced to reflect and make a decision that has pushed me out of my "comfort zones". After graduating from Uni and starting out as a Highschool Maths/Science Teacher, I found myself in a position where work was a huge struggle, to the point where I felt the life was being sucked out of me; while I had dreams to 'fly' and do amazing things through my work, I could barely stay afloat.
It was a difficult decision, but especially as my health was being affected significantly, one day I decided to take a break from everything and live off my savings and focus on improving my health rather than renew my contract.

It was this time that I learnt that, sometimes when we're stuck on a path, we are meant to pause and just look in a different direction to notice an opportunity awaiting us that is better for our spirit.
Because after my health improved and I began looking for a job again, unexpectedly, I found myself working for an organisation called "The Gowrie Community Services" and, to put it simply, I completely fell head over heels in love with my job, supporting youth from refugee backgrounds settle in Australia. My job was more than rewarding - it was fulfilling because I discovered that it was actually that 'social work' aspect of teaching that I had enjoyed, which I could do, minus the things I didn't like about teaching.

But another turn of events arose after almost four years working in that role, which lead me to take away a new lesson; that sometimes we are put on a path for a purpose or reason, but once that purpose is served or exhausted, suddenly life or circumstances begin pushing you in yet another direction.
As four years in my role neared, the complexity of cases and increasing workload started impacting on my health once again, but more significantly, The Gowrie's Board of Directors decided it was time for The Gowrie to be more focused in its vision and mission and instead provide services for families and children under 12 - this meant my program had to come to an end.

Although the wonderful CEO provided me with the opportunity and support to draft a new role and submit a new grant, once again, I decided to listen to the signs around me and finish up my role with my contract, and trust as I took that leap of faith, awaiting what might be around the corner.

I'm discovering that the clue to what you are meant to do in your life is often found in that nagging voice at the back of your mind; one thing I have always been passionate about is writing, in particular poetry and fiction...
I guess I can sum things up here and say, the rest is history!

Nonetheless, on this new path I am now on, I endeavour to remain open and aware as I listen and trust...

Beautiful Beginnings

2012-03-03T16:35:00.001+08:00

Last night, I was privileged to witness the humble beginnings of Perth's first Youth Poetry Slam, hosted by City of Stirling's Sasa Mentorship Program.

I truly cannot find the words to describe what a beautiful night it was. The brave and talented youth who shared a part of their soul through their poetic words left a lasting impression on us all.
I'm honestly struggling to write complete sentences when I'm still left with that sweet 'feeling', like that sweet after-taste that lingers in your mouth after eating something appetising...

Two of the poets who performed last night feature in the promo film about the event, which you can view from my YouTube channel. Also in this video, I recite my poem, "Mother" that can be found in my book.

I am so excited about what is to come!
If you would like to be kept up to date about upcoming events I'm involved in, follow me on Twitter or like my Facebook page.

Why Poetry?

2012-03-01T23:10:00.000+08:00

Writing in general has always been a source of comfort for me, theraputic in its process. But Poetry in particular is an especially unique avenue of expression that is both obvious yet mysterious, in which a handful of words sequenced in well-thought-out ways can have meanings deeper than the ocean. Poets are Artists, Paper their Canvas, Pen their Brush, and Words their Paint in all the colours of the rainbow.

Funnily enough, a poem I wrote recently, titled "My Silent Friend" describes exactly why I love Poetry as a form of expression.
In this poem, I talk about how writing/poetry is my Silent Friend who, "knows my secrets, the depth of my joys and sorrows; when others see my deceiving faces, only she and God hears of my hidden truths." (i.e. sometimes I may appear my normal self to the outside world, but Poetry learns of what may be heavy on my mind).

I go on to describe how poetry understands me and how exhausting

certain thoughts may be, and while she may encourage me to offload my burdens to her, she "...lets me be when she knows the strain, knows the struggle to form the words, to move the lips while the eyes shut in the rain".

Nonetheless, when I finally do let out the thoughts and words that may be running circles in my mind, "So light is the feeling after she takes my stresses, and turns them into a work of art".
That is the beautiful thing about Poetry - how our thoughts can to transformed into an artistic piece for the eyes and ears to take in and admire.

One thing you'll notice about a lot of my poems published in my book "Unveiling" is that I like using a clear rhyming pattern and write in a particular rhythm so my poems have a 'lyric' feel. I suppose this is because my poetry is influenced by my favourite poets, Lord Byron and Elizabeth Barret Browning, who wrote poetry a couple of centuries ago. I must admit rhyming can be a bit restrictive at times, but with practice and when done well, they give a poem a 'melody'.

TIPS: If you'd like to take a stab at rhyming in your next poem, remember there are different rhyming patterns you can use, which I'll give examples for below.

AABB:-
I sat
On a mat
But my dog
Sat on a log

ABAB:-
I sat
On a log
Next to my cat
And my dog

ABCB:-
I sat
On a log
Next to
My fluffy dog

My personal favourite is the ABCB pattern, because you only have to rhyme every second line. So I will usually write my first two lines, then if I can't think of a rhyme straight away for the last line in the 4-line stanza, in my head I'll go through the alphabet rhyming the letters with my word. E.G. My word is Cat; so in my head I will say "At, Bat, Cat, Dat, etc" until I find a word that fits well with the line and the whole poem.

Nonetheless, these days, people don't focus on rhyme anymore. But there are other poetic tools, such as alliteration (Cuddly cats curl into cotton balls) or assonance (vowel rhyming, which is used a lot in rap verses such as, "I see no changes, all I see is racist faces..."), which all add to the richness of Poetry.

So keep them in mind the next time you write!

Purchase "Unveiling" to read my poetry

The Gift of Poetry

2012-02-28T15:57:00.000+08:00

It's amazing how well-chosen words can create more meaning around something. My close friends all know that I like accompanying a gift with words to make the gift more memorable.
I once gave one of my single friends (who loved Brad Pitt and who hated being set-up by mutual friends) a t-shirt that said "Mrs Pitt", along with a note, "Just a small gift that I thought would be useful for you the next time someone tries to set you up; simply turn their attention to the words on your t-shirt and say, "Sorry, I'm taken." :-)

Other times, it is the words themselves that are priceless and the greatest gift you can give.

TIP: Acrostic Poetry using a person's name can be a great gift (well, if the person is the type who appreciates words). In general, having a letter to start the lines of your poem makes it quite a useful tool to give yourself a cue when you find yourself stuck on how to begin.

Here is an example of a poem I wrote and framed for a good friend and work colleague named Isabella.

I ntelligent, intuitive
S oft in speech

A mazing in many ways;
B eautiful soul
E ndearing to each
L ife you alter each day.
L oving is your nature
A quality I shall never forget;

So thankful I am for the days that have passed,
And the memories since that day we met.

When Poetry was born (in my life at least)

2012-02-26T22:49:00.001+08:00

To state the obvious, this week's theme is: Poetry

Let me begin by first looking back and recollecting the very first time I became interested in and began writing poetry...

To be honest, it was that long ago that I can't pinpoint the exact moment I began. However, I would say, as soon as I had learnt how to rhyme, I was writing poetry. One memory relating to poetry that sticks out in my mind was when I was in Year 3 in Primary School and I had to submit a poem to my teacher for Creative Writing. I still remember the opening lines of my silly, random poem that I had come up with on the spot:

Kenny the kicking kangaroo,

Came coughing kettles through her shoe,
'Cure me Donna, cure me Sue!'

While I had no idea at that age what was expected of us in terms of writing and/or poetry, when my teacher came and spoke to me about my poem, the disbelief on her face and her question, "Did you really write this by yourself?", suggested to me that perhaps my poem was actually pretty alright for an 8 year old.

Since that time, Poetry has continued to be a significant part of my life, an outlet for my thoughts and creativity.
In my next blog, I might talk a bit more about why Poetry interests me and share some tips on writing that have helped me.

Do you remember when you first started writing Poetry?

Purpose

2012-02-23T21:19:00.001+08:00

I really don't like doing things aimlessly, without purpose... Even keeping this blog. Although my initial purpose for starting and keeping this blog going was for the sake of writing itself, I am realising that 'aimless writing' isn't enough of a purpose to motivate me to pick up my phone or switch on my laptop and start blogging.

There needs to be something more...

Perhaps a good place to start is looking at what makes me feel good, what interests and/or inspires me?

From the top of my head:

My Deen Islam
Love
Cars
Chocolate
HipHop

Poetry
Memorable Moments
Soft toys
Helping people
Networking
Thrills and adventure
Colours
Maths
Smiling faces
Travelling
People
Dresses
The beach
Landscapes
Apple (not the fruit :-P)

Okay, let me interrupt myself for a moment. I think I am beginning to realise my problem... I am too much a 'blur', interested and involved in too many things at once that one thing distracts me from another!!!

Conclusion: I need to make a decision on a focus, honing all my energies towards one thing at a time before moving towards the next...

Ah, I must say, this is exactly why I love writing - the moment I see my hazy/convoluted thoughts in the form of clearly visible words, the confusion in my mind begins to dissipate and clarity begins to set in.

So much so that somewhere between my opening lines and my conclusion, I've actually come up with a strategy I'm going to 'testdrive' for at least the next month.
Beginning the Sunday of each week, I will blog about just one of my interests everyday for that whole week. My blog may take the form of photos or poetry or just streams of consciousness. I'll decide the theme each Sunday morning...

Here we go :-)

How we roll

2012-02-21T18:21:00.001+08:00

I am realising that when you are a Muslim Hijabi chick, rollin' in City of Gosnells, you need to be armed with some HipHop...

I was on Tonkin Hwy a moment earlier in slow moving traffic when my ears caught the exchange between a bunch of young males (keyword: "males"), driving on the right lane beside me. They spoke and laughed loudly, having a conversation I think they intended for me to hear.

Now let me first talk about what they drove. They were in a green Lancer sedan that appeared to be the 1999-2001 series. Unfortunately for my eyes, it was nothing special; not an Evo, no accessories, no "rice" whatsoever. In fact, from memory, it appeared to even be quite sun-damaged.

Now let me recall their conversation. At first, it appeared like they began by putting on and cranking up some Hip Hop music and started saying in a sarcastic tone "this is what girls like these days". Slowly the conversation evolved to include the term "what Muslim girls like these days"; before I knew it, the adjective "f#%!n" was used to describe these Muslim girls, Muslims in general, and their presence in Australia! I turned my head to get a better look at these clearly intellectually challenged males and learnt they were cowardly too, not daring to meet my gaze although their jeering continued and increased in volume.

How did I respond, you ask? I simply switched on my car's mp3 player and cranked up my own HipHop music. The icing on the cake would have been saying the thought that (fortunately for them) only came to mind long after they had sped away; "Is that supposed to be HipHop? Psht"

In summary, what lessons can we take away from this experience:

1) To all 'em ignorant bogans out there, if you're going to draw attention to yourselves, especially if you're going to be hurling insults, perhaps it is wiser to invest in a ride worth looking at to begin with!

2) Alhamdulillah, the Hijab successfully meets one of its purposes of helping others identify us as Muslim women.

3) My fellow Hijabi chicks, for your own protection and a safe journey home, always stay armed with some hardcore HipHop. Hit me up if you need. :-P

POEM: Freestyle

2012-02-15T16:41:00.000+08:00

I usually don't "try" to write poetry; rather in a moment of inspiration or deep emotion, I discover thoughts becoming words that beg for an outlet, which develops into one of my poems! However, below is an example of one of those rare moments in which I decided I was going to take out my notebook and force myself to write something, anything, just for the sake of writing, in an attempt to conquer my writing drought. The poetic stream of consciousness written below came about during my travels in March 2011 while I was sitting on the plane with nothing much to do but write...

Putting pen to paper
Writing whatever comes to mind
Unsure of where these black lines forming words will lead

Always trusting the Most High
My Protector, My Sustainer
Whose Words I seek to express through my own

Pen to paper...
Trying to think of rhymes
To warm those writing muscles that have not been exercised for some time

Hands aching already
How sad, pause...
Mental block...

So let me begin again
Not thinking of the end
Just in God I depend
Silent prayers I send
Seeking to loan His Words
As I try to pass this dead end, mend
These wounds I create in my mind
And feed with ill thoughts blind, to the goodness
The good times

But only for a moment I entertain
Then push away that state to the back of my brain
Insane, trying not to let words form
From those thoughts of norm
Reform, my mind
Trying to draw out what needs to be heard
Let's begin...

Purchase "Unveiling" to read more of my poetry

POEM: Australia - A land of beauty

2012-01-26T09:34:00.000+08:00

I wrote this poem over 10 years ago, when I was 14 years old! It was such a long time ago, but I think it might've been for a school assignment for my English teacher whose name I still remember, Ms Phang. I thought it would be appropriate to share it today in the spirit of "Australia Day/Invasion Day/Survival Day".

As I stroll along the shore, my feet in the sand
The wind on my face, in a foreign land.
The sun in my eyes, the soft sound of the sea
And the curious stare, of a wallaby.

As I sit in the shade, of a tall gum tree
The crashing waves, I see before me.
The howl of the wind, and a kite flying high
Then as the sun sets, Southern Cross in the sky.

As I stroll along the park, my eyes fixed ahead
The sun shining down, onto the flowerbed.
A bed of roses, and Kangaroo Paws
And more native flowers, than I’ve ever seen before.

As I turn my head, towards the sky
I see pelicans and kookaburras, flying high.
But upon the lake, could it really be?
Perth’s Black Swan swims before me.

Though I’ve travelled the world, seen its sights and sounds
Australia’s unique beauty in other countries can’t be found.
Her luscious green fields, her priceless beaches
No money can buy beauty, like her natural features.

On a clear night’s sky, as I look above
I let out a sigh, for I know I’m in love.
I’m in love with the land, with the wind and the sea
Australia - my home, a land of beauty.

Purchase "Unveiling" to read more of my poetry

Iman/Faith is like...

2012-01-23T22:58:00.000+08:00

...being deeply in love with someone who treats you as though you are the most precious thing in the universe; you just can't help wanting to
talk to everyone about them when it is in those moments of sharing little bits and pieces about them that you feel most alive, feel like your heart is soaring to immeasurable heights; and it's just too painful having to hear others talk badly about them while they don't know all that you know; and so precious and fulfilling is every opportunity you have to learn more about them; and so sweet are those mornings when you awake and find them illuminating your thoughts, which causes you to feel like you might lay there a little longer...

Humbled

2012-01-22T23:00:00.000+08:00

I'm still overcoming the sweet feeling of being deeply touched...

Yesterday afternoon, I received a random email from someone who had purchased my book from iTunes but was having trouble viewing it on her personal computer. I replied with instructions to download an eBook reader such as Adobe Digital Editions.

In response to my email, after first thanking me for solving her issue, it truly was humbling
and deeply touching to hear the lady share with me her great love of poetry that I could relate to, but also how after she had heard about my book and read my blurb about it, she had felt as if "those words were rolling off my own tongue".

While I may have had reservations and apprehensions about sharing my writing, my poetry in particular, in the beginning, in this moment, I am so thankful to Allah for breathing into me a burning desire to move beyond my anxiety and share with others that part of my soul that all that He Wills inspires.

Alhamdulillah.

Let me be honest

2012-01-19T01:07:00.001+08:00

Okay, I'm going to have to be honest...
Writing lately has been painful - too much a chore... It just hasn't been as enjoyable as it used to be.

So I can't help trying to think back to the times when writing was effortless... There must be a significant element I am currently missing. What exactly did I write about back then? Why was I motivated to write? Why did I feel a burning desire to write? What is the problem now?

(Sigh) Perhaps I'll try sleep on it...