Literature Talk: The Ghazal

In celebration of National Poetry Month in April, join award-winning poet and essayist Shadab Zeest Hasmi for a discussion and performance of the ghazal, a poetic expression originating in Arabia that spread into South Asia in the 12th century by the influence of Sufi mystics.  Featured prominently in the languages, poetry, and music of South Asia, the ghazal celebrates both the pain and beauty of love in its multi-varied forms. Western poets who have tried their hand at the ghazal include Goethe, Federico García Lorca, Maxine Kumin, and Adrienne Rich. Registration encouraged.  Please scroll down.

Poets and musicians Brandon Cesmat and Omar Waqar will accompany Ms. Hashmi and perform ghazals to guitar and sitar.

Copies of Ms. Hashmi’s latest book Ghazal Cosmopolitan, a collection of poems and essays on the culture and craft of the ghazal, will be available for purchase and signing.

Ms. Hashmi is a recipient of the San Diego Book Award, the Nazim Hikmet Prize and multiple Pushcart nominations. Her work has been translated into Spanish and Urdu, and appeared in anthologies and journals worldwide. She has taught in the MFA program at San Diego State University as a writer-in-residence and has presented in Turkey, Spain, Pakistan, Mexico and the UK. Poems from her books Kohl and Chalk and Baker of Tarifa have been included in the Language Arts curriculum for grades 7-12 and college courses in Literature and the Humanities. 

Literature Talk is an occasional community lecture and discussion series of favorite books and exciting literary topics connecting readers with area college professors who know or teach the books or subjects in their classes.