The GRASS IS LIKE ME

In March 1999, UNESCO formally recognised the imperative need for poetry in the modern age. Now for more than two decade, March 21st has come to represent our global literary community as few other events ever could, and to promote the preservation of regional poetic cultures around the world.
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It is a day to recognise the long, storied legacy of poetry through every stage of human history; from landscapes of Ancient Greece to the wartime writings of Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva and the forlorn beauty of Turkish exile Nazim Hikmet. Poets have been the very eyes and ears of time, speaking truth and beauty for the heart of unknown generations to come.

Poetry, through its many oral and written traditions, offers a human chronicle of our shared existence. Where modern accounts of history will recall the political winners and casualties of conflict, it is the poet's rendering that will speak to the truly human experience of war, peace, and perseverance.

In honour of International Poetry Day, and as part of our ongoing effort to elevate new and/or foreign voices with English readers, we are delighted to share a poem from revered Pakistani Urdu poet Kishwar Naheed:

The Grass Is Like Me

​You know, the grass is like me
It's true nature revealed
When trodden under foot
But when drenched 
Does it bear witness
To burning disgrace
Or blazing fury?
Yes, the grass is like me
It lifts its head
Only to be continually shared
Into flat velvet by the frenzied machine
How many ways do you have to flatten a woman?
But the earth
And women continue to rise up
If you ask me, you had the right idea
A footpath was spot on
Those who can't endure
Are patched down into the scorched earth
Merely straw
A path for the oppressors
Not grass
You know, grass like me! 

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Naheed's life and poetry have been deeply influenced by the intensely gendered politics of the Indian-Pakistani region. Fortunately, her work and advocacy can be felt around the globe, as many of her most famous writings have been translated from original Urdu. Naheed's passion for human rights and gender equality is inspired and infectious (curious readers might also consider the equally anthemic, "We Sinful Women").

Her work speaks to our shared, persistent struggle for individual freedom and social equity, particularly as relates to gender imbalance and the indispensable role of women in society; now and forever. Naheed's work exemplifies the poet's role in society as a purveyor of strength, hard truth, and all the hope of humanity to find beauty in even the most unexpected places.