"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"

Though I've tried before to tell her
Of the feelings I have for her in my heart
Every time that I come near her
I just lose my nerve
As I've done from the start

Every little thing she does is magic
Everything she do just turns me on
Even though my life before was tragic
Now I know my love for her goes on

Do I have to tell the story
Of a thousand rainy days since we first met
It's a big enough umbrella
But it's always me that ends up getting wet

Every little thing she does is magic
Everything she do just turns me on
Even though my life before was tragic
Now I know my love for her goes on

I resolve to call her up a thousand times a day
And ask her if she'll marry me in some old fashioned way
But my silent fears have gripped me
Long before I reach the phone
Long before my tongue has tripped me
Must I always be alone?

Every little thing she does is magic
Everything she do just turns me on
Even though my life before was tragic
Now I know my love for her goes on

-STING

Love is You.

I can't even imagine someone saying these things to me, or someone close to me. I know it makes me sound like an idiot, but why do we have to depend on someone to be loved?

We can love ourselves right?

We can be our Valentine. We can be immortals loving ourselves and consuming ourselves like the Auroboros. 

We would look in the mirror everyday and smile. Smile at the person with flaws and insecurities. I know it sounds cliche but what if you could look pass those horrible things in your past and you make it positive, redeem yourself. Be happy with who you are and let go of all things dragging you to hell and below.

We are broken people, trying too hard to fit in, making ourselves starve or over-eat because 'people' aren't happy with how we look, how we dress and how we feel.

Screw them. Screw them all.

We need to feel alive in our own skin and if we like eating, we should. If we like being bony, we should be able to. You are art.

Look like it.

Fall in love with yourself. Somehow.

Find a flaw, start loving more everyday. A bit everyday. I know this is boring. I know you get tired of the same movies, same blog posts same books same music, GOD NO.

Obviously it is all the same, This world is such a tiny place. We all look alike, we all feel the same feelings, love, hate, disgust, compassion, affection, pity, anger. So yes, the songs sound the same, the world looks the same, the blog posts are long and boring and yes the movies all have the same plot.

I know it may look like the world is ending, but its not. I am here. Everything is there, he cars, the buildings, the people, the endless line of events, art galleries, concerts, travels, money, books, they are all here, this world doesn't stop when someone dies, its selfish, but it is the truth, so why should your life stop because someone leaves? if they left you, it doesn't mean the word is dead. everything, EVERYTHING, is there for you, as if you never left too love a person who doesn't love you back or care for you or doesn't think you are beautiful. these things, these people, they belong to you, like they belong to everyone else, this air you breath, its yours, it belongs to your flaws. it belongs to your insecurities. so what if you feel sad when you listen to closer by Kings of Leon. but at the end of the song you can hear the music healing you, and you listen o that song on repeat and you know, this sting song makes sense too! all the storms hide under the skin of your flaws! love yourself to brig them out, to change the world, make the world known of your presence. that you matter, so the next time you leave, this world for someone else, it misses you, when you're gone.

But try to find that flaw and start to love it even if you don't.

Be yourself.

Try to look at things from a different perspective everyday. One day, imagine you were an artist, the other, being a musician.

Please, trust me. I know it will be weird but you can do it. Love yourself please.

Love.

Yourself.

You are the love of your life.

Invictus By Irum Zahra

Mirrored Voices: Best Contemporary Poets

I'm very Happy and Honored to announce that the third installment of the Poetry Anthology Series, ‪‎Mirrored Voices:

Mirrored Voices: Best Contemporary Poets

‬ is Published! It has writers and Poets featured from around the globe.
I am lucky and honored to be in it as well.
I have 4 books on my credit now. Congratulations to all the authors who are featured in this literary history making event.

This combined poetic anthology embraces free thinking of the untapped mind and spirit. The vast array of best contemporary poets from around the globe share their voices together in harmony. Various styles and thoughts flourish amongst the pages, bringing emotions to life and creating beauty from nothingness. The writers included in this collection have been selectively chosen to represent the best modern talent of the age. The list of extraordinary poets featured within include such great talent as:

Paul Morabito, Aric Cushing, Jason P. Hein, Laura Madeline Wiseman, Regina Puckett, Laura Crean, R.M Romarney, Clarissa Simmens, Mark Green, Irum Zahra, Laura A. Lord, Regis McCafferty, Roberto Carlos Martinez, Linda Dobinson, Robert G. Brown, Carolyn O'Connell, Sherry Rentschler, Ben Ditmars, Christopher Meesto Erato, Jill Roberts, Dr. Leesa Abbott, Nichia Morales, Andrea McKenzie Raine, Koyel Mitra, Helle Gade, Terri Cannon, Jerome Michael Bailey, Harika Kottakota, Hafsa Idrees and Kristy Rulebreaker.

Here is the Amazon Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Mirrored-Voices-Best-Contemporary-Poetry/dp/1514323966/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435018247&sr=1-4&keywords=paul+morabito

This Is Me-Psychaotic Author Review

*Psychaotic* is my debut Poetry Book.
It is the first of its kind here in Pakistan. I am Pakistan's first free verse Gothic Poet to be published Internationally.
*Psychaotic* is a word play of two words and two feeling. Psycho and Chaotic.
I believe that everyone has these sides and they choose whether or not to open or disclose that side with people or not.
Psychaotic reads you while you are reading it and it connects the inner most desires and feelings with the flow of words. I wanted to write all these thoughts on paper because I wanted to connect the reader to the people like him or her. There are so many people in this world who feel like the have lost everything and they cannot go on without someone but this, this book, it tells them that there is life after that. That they are not alone in that hurt and agony. I know and I understand what you are going through. This book is for the delusional, for the bipolar, for the insane and crazy people. It is for the introverts who swallow their anguish and hate and keep it locked inside their hearts. It is for the people who feel alone in a crowd of 1 million.
I am here to tell them, whatever hardships they suffered, whatever pain they felt, They are not the only ones. There are people like you. They are here to help you, to talk to you, to love you.
You are special.
Psychaotic is my mirror. You read this book, you'll know me.
If you read this book, and you connect with even one of it's words, do let me know.
This book is my prize. I want to reach out to everyone through this book
Remember: You're loved.

Happy Reading!

Look For Love-Psychaotic

Look for love

I had an interesting conversation a while back regarding love and how you shouldn’t find love, but it finds you. And that people who search for it never find it.

Is that fair? I don’t believe so. People are lonely and broken and they often lose hope of anything good to ever happen to them. The only thing they hold on to is the faith that one day they will be loved.

If you say don’t look for it, then what is the purpose of it all? Why shouldn’t we look for a reason to smile?

A reason to live

A reason to hold onto life

You are indirectly implying that stay where you are, stay sad and alone and one day love will knock on your door and you’ll be saved. No… that…almost never happens. Not everyone is that lucky. People need something to build their dreams on.

So why stop looking?

Maybe it’ll make you pathetically sad or maybe it will fill your heart with a million smiles

Both, even.

Our problem is, that we look for love in all the wrong places.

You know exactly what would happen, you know your heart will break but you love anyways

You decide to make this mistake

You don’t stop

And you fall

And when you get up, there is little hope left in your heart

But it’s there right?

All it needs is a rekindling spark.

And you know when you’ll be restless for someone to talk to you, look at you.

Tell you that you are beautiful with all your flaws.

We all have these measures in which we calculate how much a person loves us. And we all want them to love us the way we want them too. At the same time, they are also expecting us to love them the way they want to be loved.

And there you have it.

The ultimate reason of why we always break up on the common Not-being-Good-enough theory.

Why can’t we let people love us the way they want to?

Maybe we would be better that way.

Maybe we would change in a good way.

But do we want to change?

Do we want to create a separate measure of love?

No.

We don’t.

We always cry and gossip on how we want to change and how bored we are.

But in reality we are all so comfortable in our own bubbles that we just scream change from inside. We don’t actually want to come out and transform ourselves.

The day we understand that about ourselves,

Is the day we will know that we are good enough for anyone who says they love us.

Irum Zahra, Psychaotic

Omer Khalid Anwer: Islamabad's Most Sought After Photographer!

Maldives!

• Omer, Introduce yourself to the people who don’t?

I’m an Islamabad based Photographer and I used to do corporate events and weddings. Later on, I jumped into Fashion Photography. I own a Production house called Roadcrew media; along my partner Fahim Farid.

• When did you know you can capture life and moments into cameras?

Life teaches you things in its own ways. Back in 2009, I was going through worst phases of my life; I wouldn’t speak to anyone. So, I bought myself a DSLR camera and started clicking. I had a passion of collecting pictures of sceneries, cars, bikes, celebrities, sports and all, since my teenage years. Therefore, the depression phase gave me a chance to get into the art of taking pictures. I started off with it as a hobby. A Year later, I was earning from it.

• What is the earliest photo you took?

From the DSLR, it was picture of my son who was 3 years old then.

• Are you proud of what you do?

Alhamdulillah, I’m proud of what I am today. God has been very kind to me with all the respect I have gained through my photography!

• What are the problems faced by Photographers in Pakistan?

Photographers are not well paid in Pakistan. In addition to that, People still don’t give respect to photographers. That needs to change if we want our industry to grow.

• How do you manage business with life?

It’s getting quite tough for me now, as I am managing 4 different businesses now. I hardly give time to family and friends!

• Why is photography common in Pakistan?

I think, 10 years back, the media was not very open to the public. Plus, the DSLR cameras weren’t in budget. Now you can buy a DSLR in range of Rs. 50,000/- . Last but not the least, the glamour is attracting the young generation, so they commence photography without knowing the basics of it.

• How do you explain the relation between lens and Life?

Lens is a best object to capture moments in life; Good or bad, Decent and Indecent, pure and impure, Right or wrong.….  Every image depicts a story of life and Lens save that moment in time when these things interact.

• What is the most memorable event you covered?

In 2013, I was called by a Lahore based fashion show organizer company. They hired my services for a fashion tour in different states of USA. It went for 3 weeks. It was one of most memorable trips and events I covered that gave me a boost into fashion Industry.

• What are of art do you want to discover in your future projects?

I’m learning more of light techniques in outdoor shoots; as that is the current trend nowadays.

• What projects are you working on?

I’m more into fashion industry, hence taking on more of fashion shoots and Bridal shoots along with other creative works like covering art galleries, Literature exhibitions and such.

• How is PR related to your goodwill?

PR is everything in this society now. You get more projects if you have better PR than others.

• The most embarrassing moment of your photography career?

A few months back, I covered a wedding event. I was hired by the bride herself. Her parents had the old thought of pictography. They wanted the group pictures and all people staring in the camera, while being clicked. Whereas, I’m known as the photographer who clicks the best candid pictures and well, they became quite harsh with me, and told me that I don’t even know how to take pictures. Their daughter came to my rescue later. It was funny too!

• Do you think painting pictures and Taking pictures are two arts of the same purpose?

Yes, I believe these are two different types of art. A painter visualizes scenery or feelings in human and depicts it into his own thoughts and paints it. Whereas, a photographer clicks what he sees through his lens.

• Who is your international Photography crush?

Oh that is a long list. There are so many talented people in the world. Osman Ghani, Said Muhammad & Pravin Talan would make the top of the list.

• If there was/is/will an event you would want to cover somehow, what would it be?

I want to cover the next Moon Landing! It would be such a spectacular moment for life and this world. I want to capture it’s beauty and anticipation.

• Every photographer wants this one portrait shoot, of his/her way and heart. If you were to choose, who will you capture through your camera?

Well, there are so many. But If I had to choose, I would want to shoot Amitabh Bachan, Imran Khan and Salma Hayek . All three are the world’s most sought after public figures. Plus, they have done so much to influence the world. It would be an honor to see them and capture them in the lens.

• What is your message to the world?

“Live and let others live”… Criticizing others on their work is very easy. Learn to appreciate others.

Thank you Omer, It was amazing talking to you. Here is his Official Facebook account:

https://www.facebook.com/omerkfoto?fref=ts

Here is a short Gallery of Images he has captured. They are my personal Favorites. And the fun part is, they are in the most random order so you can see the variation and expertise. Enjoy!

The Amazing Hamza Ali Abbasi, A persnal Friend of Omer Khalid.

Shoes to make the day!

The beautiful Nadia Hussain

The Legend in Pakistan-Imran Khan

Mathira!

Does reminds me of Madagascar!

And The Jungle book!

Sports and Fun!

Colors of Pakistan

Islamabad Fashion Week

Weddings!

Too much amazingness in one Photo!

Portraits-Hamza Ali Abbasi

Pakistan

Bring forth the Revolution!

I'm Happy When You're Happy

Omer Khalid Anwar for Beyond Sanity Publishing

Ariel by Irum Zahra

My Dear Ariel

I was there when you were born

Red and little, so fragile

So beautiful

You were my angel

And my companion

My pillar of hope

And all that I wanted

I taught you how to ride a bicycle

And fell and broke your arm

I was sorry but you got better

And I knew no one can do you harm

One day our toys broke

And all our story books got soaked in the rain

We went to live under the sun

With glass walls around us

There were people who wanted to hurt you

And I kept all of them away

We prayed for a roof of our own

And God showed us a new way

I bought colors and pages for you

And you drew us and a cozy weather

You built new toys and I watched you play

Our walls started to grow weak

And we had to leave again

We had grown past the plants

And the kittens born in our yard

They were no longer little

They had lives of their own

I taught you how to smile

When you felt like hell inside

We made golden masks

With smiles fixed on them

We fooled everyone

Our friends and our foes

We sold all our toys

And started having fun

Day by day we lost

Every little part of us

And the masks became us

We stayed by each other

And you taught me how to stay me

I broke my walls like you broke your arm

I fixed myself too, but I was never that strong

Hush, dear rabbit

We’ll be okay

When the world crashes

And the glass walls shatter

We would still have each other

Arm in arm and it would be better

We’ll buy new toys for us

And we can’t afford them,

We’ll learn how to make them by ourselves

We’ll cry every night to sleep

And drink coffee everyday

You’ll be stronger than me

And I’ll lean on you then

When I’ll lose myself 

You can pull me from the river

We’ll stay up all night

And pray to the All Giver

I’ll always love you

As you will love me

We’ll cry together just as we laugh together

We won’t let the stones shatter our glass house

Even if they do

My dear Ariel

I’ll let no stone touch you.

Hush, dear flower

You’re my only hope in this world.

May you always find love,

In places I didn't

And may you get all your toys back

Along with your childhood

Psychaotic: See The World In Red And Black

Psychaotic Review By Colin Andersen

Colin Andersen rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this enticing debut collection, Irum Zahra gives us lyrical poems that seem to evolve straight from the heart. In her writing Irum talks about life, love and the hurt that accompanies human beings, and the anguishes a young woman often has to endure while traveling through life. The writings offered in the collection are evidence of the author's poetic strength and depth of expression.

Almost all the poems are enjoyable and it's hard to resist quoting lines that are examples of splendid poetry, like the ones below:

I speak, I cry, I read, I write,
I like, I hate, I scar, I bleed,
I drown, I feel, I run, I sing,
I say, I yell, I make, I break
"Psychaotic: See The World In Red" is sprinkled with many other gems like the above. Once you complete the book you realize Irum Zahra is a writer capable of delivering poetry which is passionate but does not disintegrate in cheap sentimentality. I highly recommend the collection, it's a must read for poetry lovers.