Educational Practices in Private Schools in Pakistan laddu is back, with his guilty conscience. Pakistanis, whose movies, poets and music groups are their own, are learning about Education as well. We're getting round to it. I trust the writer of this article, is also a Pakistani -- laddu skipped that, he was practicing shanti chants, and correct breathing.

A very well-informed essay, Farzana. I was very glad to read it, these topics interest me, and its always good to see what other people are feeling about it. I'd like to add that in our A'Level environment in Karachi, I have seen some excellent teaching, I studied Literature, Politics and Government in discussion-based environments, even when I look back now, I can compare those standards to the ones I encountered in Liberal Arts Colleges both in Canada and America.
In the nearest language, it always works.

In Memory of Ahmed Faraz Not borrowed, not stolen
One of our own, the Faraz...

what a thought.


In the nearest language, it always works.

Black Pencils Hi Ras, thank you -- I notice you like music & poetry -- they are two linked genres, I believe...I heard about this idea of "call and response" in some music theory class....life's about that -- I'll keep writing, if you keep visiting. ; ) Ciao
In the nearest language, it always works.

Black Pencils That time with your poem -- I'm sorry about that quin, I just wanted to stir life among the poets here. You know I always mean well.

I find it interesting that the writers don't want to comment after their writing. I suppose its a matter of difference in style and/or perception. I just wanted to maintain a series of amicable exchanges here, to show how energies can be balanced --and round two could be one of actual debate, point by point.

It doesn't have to run into no-where streets. You can defend what you have written, or clarify concepts to those who might have questions about it. Yes -- but its taxing, time-consuming or something else?

I don't really know. I like quieter paces and gatherings in which the discussions actually lead somewhere. Isn't that how you build a thinker's community -- i.e. society?

boys can play the gui-tar
I was stung by Jehad

the musical tension. Anyway, this way, everyone can feel they participate, and won't regret the monopoly of a few 'ruling' ideas or people. It would work better towards a democracy for the community at Chowk.

It is different from a newspaper, lets access these differences and make it inter-active and possible.
In the nearest language, it always works.

Black Pencils Hi Saaria, you like that? I remember the time you wore the scarf for a few days, what I am trying to say here is:

you can either take the scarf, or you can leave the scarf, beauty is anywhere. Its how you hold it.

This obssession of the "modern" Pakistani, to HATE the scarf, the hejaab as if it was a disease is beyond my comprehension, when I picture Sherezade of the Arabian Folklore I imagine her veil along with her --

The veil is actually a symbol of poise, integrity and a sense of mystique...

Money can be used anyway...corruption of it does not speak of the 'paper money' itself, but the person who corrupts it. Then, money and veil both, (atleast to me) are neutral symbols.

People will have to take responsibility for what they have to say about lifeless objects.

I'm glad you liked it...certain days the scarf is quite the thing! Isadora felt it ..."why can't we?"
In the nearest language, it always works.

Ahmed Faraz: The Light Stays For an altogether 'realpolitik' reason, I'm reminded of Quaid-e-Azam's statement that we'd secure a space for to-be Pakistan, even if it was just as big as a match-box...

"For an instant or two we glow
Like a match stick"

And on Faulkner's death, Camus said, before an artist takes his leave he must affix his signature in this world and say "I was here" -- Ahmad Faraz knew it.
In the nearest language, it always works.

Black Pencils what's a feminist anyway? In Literature [which is more my subject, social activism is a very recent phenomena, believe me] a "Feminist Reading" is simply considered a reading that pays special emphasis to how women are portrayed in any one of the literary forms. You can take a feminist reading of anything really -- even an article in which there is an abject absence of the mention of any woman.

Thus, in the case at hand, your comment is far more feminist than my poem, dear friend...did you know
there are other avenues to read a poem? Even my less-skilled, some-what rough hand, can tell you this much, that in this poem, there is a call towards nostalgia at having crossed a certain age, to which you return as one does to his/her homeland. "crowd senses as usual" -- is a mocking acknowledgment to precisely your comment. I had foreseen it, but you...
Read it again, and make a more intelligent comment. You never say "I hate this" with no supporting claims, its a childish activity, leave it.
In the nearest language, it always works.

Black Pencils Yeah I just received it, thank you Parthaab. Your comment of course is the worst prize I can get for such a noble poem. (prize?)

I know what you are talking about Emera, Emerson said it well.

Quin, yes it was fun. I believe Chowk Editors are interesting. Its like playing one of those silent chess games. My pieces are black of course.

In the nearest language, it always works.

Black Pencils A voice-recording of this poem:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/29dae24a-e9ca-4e12-a63a-27452491eeee/redeyepe ncil/?widget=flash_radio

Thank you.
In the nearest language, it always works.

Poet for Paperless People "I am an Arab

You have stolen the orchards of my ancestors

And the land which I cultivated"

A sense of identity, in the roots of matter, the simplicity asks...never begs.

"I want the aroma of coffee. I want nothing more than the aroma of coffee. And I want nothing more from the passing days than the aroma of coffee. The aroma of coffee so I can hold myself together, stand on my feet, and be transformed from something that crawls, into a human being."

--Intense, and revolutionary..why? because he knows there is more to life and being human. We have a 'black cafe' at Chowk, right? Thank god, we'll need it to survive, ourselves some day.

And your line:
"a new poetic intensity into the critique of imperialism and occupation" -- that's just it Saeed, that's just it. A much required writing. Thank you.
--Fatima Mirza

In the nearest language, it always works.

What Talibanization? The affect of religious-tension in the speech-formation of a child.
[I hope this is not illegal, to post it here I mean]
----------

the breakdown of language.

"but in the beginning was the word, Father"
"In the beginning there was time"
"But in the beginning was the worder, papa?"
"In the BEGINNING there was time"
"I can't proke by bwing, phather"
"I said, in the beginning there was TIME."
i bro tha tyeiieeme eeyel al thatimeeaherseee"

In the nearest language, it always works.

Bullhe Shah and His Veil of “Meem� Very nice -- brings to mind these lines I composed some time ago:
"

AHAD

We need to talk about this on the notes of Sigel.

I cannot conceive of it.

Sure with a sure-willed sugar white wasked wasque. wother.

-------

A hell of many words. Suresinned white evvervesence flowing fountains
Of white painted statue water. What eyes. Whet the stone with eyesight. The blind

Seer can see here. white not. Blank eyes.. blanko. whitening.

White words. When whistled wake up with god & win. "

and it goes on from here...but what was interesting to me was how Ahmad/Ahad was explained. I have always liked that Hallaj tale.



In the nearest language, it always works.

From Immy to Irony Wow. Okay..where to start from...there's a beat here, I thought of Jarry and the mad king whose name I have forgotten ..but you got it all right...there was just that feeling of 'yes damn-it-this-rings-true" running throughout.
In the nearest language, it always works.

Fashion Or Lack Thereof heyyy I thought it said "there is no compulsion in religion" once a man I knew said "Man is God's representative on Earth" --Surah 2, and hell, God (nor man) had ever been that god-damn attractive to me, before I started thinking...what is this faith he's talking about...

no I don't think you got it anonymous-sir, he said it...
like that ...certain...how-shall-i-call-it....half Ayn Randian, and other half St.Sebastian,


---------
Anyway....Russell says the only way to get rid of fear, is to confront it...once you know it for what it is, or was -- you are free.

Urooj has led us to the Isle of Capri......what a relief, terrorism on the mind, is MORE harmful than mere physicality -- the real people going to HELL are the ones who scare other people. Live and let live. Cheers all, astonishing poem coming from you in this session, Quinn. I'm impressed.

In the nearest language, it always works.

Fashion Or Lack Thereof Of course the God of the Bible and Quran is male .... absolutely no doubt from the language of these two books.

and

"what precisely is the difference between a non-existant male and a non-existant female?"

don't seem to tally, one of my father's childhood friends' name is CHeema, we used to call him CHeema Uncle Cheema Uncle growing up..what a peculiar name.
Thing is, Cheema, there HAS been a lot of female suppression over the years, histories, all over, not just in your or my country --
GIVEN that the aggressive, ambitious ___________
is part of the MONSTER all that has created -- there is STILL PAIN at the heart of the mystery.
And we are only the better people when we are caring to a gender so very different from our own.
In the nearest language, it always works.

What Talibanization? "Darde-dil ke waste paida kyaa insaan ko
Warna itayet ke liyea kuch kam na the karobiyaan" --Ghalib.

to be severed from God is painful
I have never been this pained, in my life, before
they say angels keep company with sinners
to remind them, of their lord above

---Karobian = Fareshteh
lol I believe Fareshteh? used to be on the 4th floor as well
crazy days, haha, I remember once she brought Rekha's CD just because a new corruption was in the air, and everyone was so shocked they said "She SPEAKS to you?" haha, and I? we? had said..."yeah we know attitude" LOL
In the nearest language, it always works.