R: I feel like you use such simple words to say such grand things. In a sentence or a few words how would you describe your own writing style ?
J: My friend once told me that when people are in need of soul food, they don't need something complicated ... Just something simple, that goes straight and direct to the heart ... I would say my writing style is refreshing and original with a range that's horizan wide ...
R: How long have you been writing for ?
J: I've been writing for 5 years ...
R: What do you like best about writing ?
J: I write because of my emotional need to ... Writing is a very painful process sometimes ... The root of why I started writing is very organic ... There was never an intention ... I never set out to be good at it ... I kind of did it cause I thought of it as survival at the time ... Poetry, unlike many other art forms, it's primary base is the fact that you're vulnerable ... I mean, you have to be in a vulnerable place in order to be effective ... It embraces all the ideas about vulnerability ...
R: What specifically inspired you to put this book together ?
J: My need to want to give myself ... My need to connect to people ... To try and get closer to humanity ... The humanity that connects us all together ... I believe books are a passionate affair ... And a collection of them is an affair of passion ...
R: After reading your poems I believe that your poetry is quite global, by this I mean that it highlights many of the issues faced in the world yet at times these are subtle messages that the reader him/herself have to decipher them. Through your writing what message are you trying to convey ?
J: I want people to be unafraid to examine their convictions ... To always recreate themselves ... To get out of the exile ... To love yourself enough to lift each other up ... To trust the divinity of life ...
R: From this book which are your 2 favourite poems ? Why ?
J: The two that stand out are "Handala" and "Why" ...
- "HANDALA", because I feel it speaks to so many who are voiceless ... And because I was able to use a piece of my late friend Ahmed Hussain's poem as the opening verse ...
- "WHY", because it was one of the most humbling, intense and emotional experiences I've ever had ...
Those are the ones that stand out to me ... But my favourites, are any of the poems that I've written for my friend Maryam ... She's the reason this book came about ... She introduced me to poetry and taught me how to write it ... There's a part of her in every poem I write ... She is like the sunrise, and the poems are like the sunset ... Each beautiful in their own way ...
R: How long did it take you to put this book together ?
J: The poems were written over a period of 4 years ... And compiling it into book form took about 6 months ...
R: Are you going to write another book ?
J: God willing, yes ... I'm almost finished writing my second anthology of poetry, and I intend on writing several more books of, not only poetry, but novels and short stories as well ...
R: If people want to learn more about your work where can they find you ?
J: On my website at: www.jafaralam.com , on my Facebook page at Jafar Alam Poetry ...
R: I love all of your poems, but after some consideration I think my 4 favourite are:
- The Slave and the Master
- Looking for God Everywhere
- Handala
- Why
Can you perhaps share why you wrote each piece ? And what you wish to convey through them ?
J: I kind of looked at these scenerio's and asked myself "Well, what does that mean to me ? " ... And I felt that these poems were important for people ... All four of the pieces really speak about the human condition and this need that we have to be received ... So I wanted to kind of stimulate thought and try to uplift people spiritually and conciously with that ... But essentially, like any book, the reader is the one that will give it, its meaning ...
R: After reading your book I feel like this book is so much about you, it’s like you have allowed people to get a glimpse of your experiences. Is this the case ? And as a poet is this always something difficult to do ? Sharing so much of yourself with the world ?
J: Most definately ... I did give people a glimpse into my world ... I think the book was well received because of the fact that it was raw and honest ... I kind of look at it as a diary written in the form of poetry ... I don't mind sharing myself with the world ... I think the connection between the poet and the audience is a communion ... And I think the audience or the reader, is very much an important part of the poem ...
I used to feel that my purpose in this world was to experience all this pain, so that I could share it with others through my poetry and hopefully give them something where they wouldn't have to suffer in the way that I did ...
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