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.

Review of Psychaotic By Author Holly Newhouse

Irum Zahra's Psychaotic: See the world in red and black, Book Review "20 out of 20 Stars"

By Author Holly Newhouse for Eternal Book Reviews

Just as devotees of certain television shows wish for longer seasons and more episodes, readers of poetry long to have poems that touch their hearts and souls. In this regard, Irum Zahra has been more than accommodating. In her debut book of poetry "Psychaotic: See the world in black and red," Irum Zahra writes in such a way that readers can feel as if they are looking right into her very soul. this is a trait she shares in common with some of history's greatest poets.

As I read the well written and descriptive prose contained within this amazing book, I was struck by the variety of emotions this fantastic poet was able to evoke within myself. As someone who only reads poetry by poets of the Renaissance era and earlier, I was extremely fascinated by the depth of the poetry contained within the lines of this book for which the author has insight-fully named. The poetry she writes, contains themes of darkness, pain, despair, abuse, chaos, misery and disorder that occurred at times in her life when the poems were written and yet, they also contain themes of happiness, love, wonder, perception, and the transformation and change that can occur within a person. All of these these resonated with this reviewer and will resonate with readers worldwide as everyone in life at one time or another has experienced or felt these emotions and themes in their lives as all of these themes make up the human psyche and the human experience. They will resonate more so with those that are misunderstood and suffer or have suffered with mental illness and who wear a mask in public for fear of ridicule or being stereotyped, a very complex issue in the world today and one I deal with on a daily basis as a victim traumatologist. It is an issue that is the dark times within oneself that is rarely shown and suffered with, alone.

"Like a horror story being told, I felt the winds change their course...." is an example of this poet's unique ability in realistic and raw description that hits and resonates with this reviewers very soul.

The poem that affected me the most was called "Musings Underwater." This particular poem speaks about a girl who is empty, cold and alone in a broken home, who questions herself and who she has become, and her current existence. She is a soul, lost, in the reality of her world and present circumstances at the time the poem was written.

This exceptional book of poetry, while deep and dark in some of its themes, is perceived by this reviewer as being therapeutic for the author. This book and her poems are perhaps a way for the author to let go of a painful at times, past and at the same time, it helps the reader to understand complex issues as the poet bares her soul to the world, just as so many amazing poets before her, have done.

It is often said that a truly amazing poet always gives a part of him or herself in the writing of their poetry and it is very clear to this reviewer that Irum Zahra has clearly accomplished just that. The reader does not merely read words on a page with this book, but gets an in depth look into Zahra's soul at the time the poem was written.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of poetry who seek out beloved poets that can deeply move them. Although, if you're not a fan of poetry and it's unique prose then this book is probably not for you. 

I definitely give this book 20 stars which is my highest praise for any book because it is just that good!

Friends to Keep

I read a quote a few days before: You meet a lot of temporary people from the age of 18-22. And I kept wondering about all the people I have interacted with, all the people I left, I moved on from etc. 

Is it true? Do people and their shadows walk away from us over the years?

There are people who always stay by our side and then there are people who tend to distance themselves from you because what? you're 'Flawed' or have 'Issues' they can't put up with. These are the people who represent the temporary people in your life.

I say pull them out. They are weeds. Weeds in your life. Keep friends who stay by you no matter what, who love you for the big screw up you are and who listen, while others disappear.

This Holiday season, call your friends who love you for who you are.

Leave the friends who don't.

Cheers!

Writer's Block

Everyday I wonder if I'll write...And if I'll write good enough. These thoughts make me go over and over the things I have already written and even, sometimes, makes me doubt myself.
Evolution in writing is a necessary entity. If one day you're writing about love and the next day about how to survive without that love, I think you're doing good.
There must be something new, but indirectly related to the history words.
These days, I'm stuck in words because I am overwhelmed by all things around me. It can be laziness too, for the love of winters. But mostly it's too much of everything.
If you're having the same experience, take a day off. If you can't, take an hour off.
Have a big cup of latte or a bowl of soup (Because winters)
This too, shall pass.

Psychaotic: See The World In Red And Black

Psychaotic Book Launch in Lahore

Literature is the essence of civilization in a society and striving to get literature the importance it deserves is exactly what people at 'Daastan' are doing. 'Daastan - A Literary Forum' held its brand launch in the city of Lahore at Arfa Kareem Technology Park on April 16, 2015. The event, in itself, was an inspiring experience for the 50+ young literary enthusiasts present there.

 The show started with Syeda Aisha Ameer, co-founder of Daastan, welcoming the guests followed by a video displaying the journey of Daastan so far. The video had been prepared by Abdul Wahab from Revolution Flame: an NGO. Once the guests had witnessed Daastan's accomplishments in its short journey, Daastan's young founder, Ommar Amer came forward to share his views. He emphasized upon the crucial status of literature from every dimension and explained how 'writing' is way more significant than the credit people of Pakistan happen to give it. He also shared his beliefs about how Daastan aims to fill the gap and that his brand would soon be the center of international attention for the quality writers it would produce.

Interests further heightened when young speakers from various literary backgrounds were given a chance on the stage. These included Mughees Anwar: founding member of AniMAG, the first ever anime magazine of Pakistan; Hassan Siddiqui: Pakistan's first comic book writer; Ghalib Khalil: founder of Rescue Pakistan Youth Forum with its applaudable projects for the country including the magnificent Project Azaad Pakistan and Rutaba Yaqoob: the emerging singer/songwriter who has been a part of Nescafe Basement. The author Irum Zahra was there who is our country's first Free Verse Gothic Poet and there she launched a poetic masterpiece named 'Psychaotic: See The World In Black And Red' which promises a strict reality check! She talked to the media and also distributed signed copies of her book among her readers.

The event's closing ceremony came last with Sarah Tariq Gilani, the assistant manager of Plan 9, distributing awards and shields to partners of Dastaan including its media partners which were SBN, Da Artist, Radio FM 89 and Express News.

 The mere fact that they were all young people there achieving all these milestones was a wake up call for people who somehow still don't believe in our youth. Pakistan's literature industry has done its rightful share of waiting and now it deserves a sincere effort towards the fulfilment of Daastan's aims.

Credits: Noor.ul.Ain from Beyond Sanity Publishing

AGAHI Awards 2015

ISLAMABAD: As many as 30 media persons and civil society representatives were given Agahi awards at a ceremony held at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Saturday.

The third annual Agahi award distribution ceremony was jointly organised by NGOs, Agahi and Mishal.

Speaking on the occasion, the moderator of the event, Shamoon Hashmi, said since 1947 as many as 90 journalists had sacrificed their lives for the truth. On his request, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Waleed Tariq of Newsline was given the award in the category of business and economy, Allah Bux from Umerkot in the category of water and food security and Sohail Yousuf from daily Dawn in the category of innovation.

In the category of corporate social responsibility, Imran Malik of PTV got the award. In foreign policy category, the award was bagged by Mubarak Zeb Khan of daily Dawn while Almas Naqvi of daily Dunya got the award in the category of democratic values.

Zahir Shah from Al Jazeera was awarded in the category of extremism and terrorism. Amber Rahim Shamsi of BBC Urdu got the award in the category of law and order. Umer Bin Ajmal from Dawn was awarded in the category of infotainment, Mureeb Mohmand of Express Tribune in the category of human rights and Mansoor Malik from Dawn won the award in the category of curriculum reforms.

Zahid Gishkori of Express Tribune was awarded in the category of sexual and reproductive health, Riaz Sohail from BBC Urdu in the field of interfaith, Lala Hassan of Dunya TV in the category of journalist safety and Mohammad Atif Sheikh from Express in the category of youth empowerment.

Nadeem Malik of Samaa TV was awarded as the most credible television anchor.

In the category of people’s choice, Mubasher Lucman of ARY was awarded as the most popular male anchor, Meher Bukhari of DawnNews as the most popular female anchor and Geo as the most popular TV channel.

Saleemur Rehman from Tribal Union of Journalists and Irfan Haider were awarded in the anti-corruption category. Naqeebullah Tareen was given the award in the category of sports, Anila Ashraf in the field of judiciary, Saba Aitzaz for his story on children dying in Thar, Khalid Khattak from The News in the field of education and Sehrish Wasif of Express Tribune was awarded in the field of out-of-school children.

Amir Zia of Newsline was awarded as the investigative journalist of the year. Moreover, Syed Babar Ali, Sultan Dogar, Fayaz Ahmed and Abdul Shakoor were also given awards in different categories.

Riaz Ahmed from Bunyad was awarded in the category of development, Musarat Misbah for providing refuge and treatment to women affected by acid attacks and Baela Raza Jamil from Idara Taleem-o-Aagahi in the category of development.

Yasir Khan, a youth from Khyber Agency, played Rubab in memory of the children killed in the terror attack on the Army Public School Peshawar.

All the participants stood up when Master Ayub was called to the stage to give away some of the awards.

Master Ayub, a civil defense official by profession, has been teaching children of slums in a park at Sector F-6 for the last 28 years.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2015

Original Article: http://www.dawn.com/news/1178252/30-journalists-civil-society-representatives-given-agahi-awards

James Hannibal rated it 5 of 5 stars

 

Psychaotic is a collection of predominantly dark poetry from a gifted writer. Irum Zahra creates exquisite imagery with an economy of words. With her melancholy tone — at times almost suicidal and at others overtly homicidal, usually in stream of consciousness style — her work is reminiscent of Edward Young of the eighteenth century Gothic poets. If Zahra’s work does not tug at the empathetic strings of your heart, you may have no heart at all. Five stars.