SLS student recognised at OUP poetry contest

Islamabad
Hamna Umar of Sadeeqa’s Learning System (SLS) Montessori & High School, Lalazar Campus was recognised for her poetry writing skills at the Oxford University Press, Islamabad’s first ever Poetry Slam held here, says a press release.
The event had 40 student poets presenting their poetry from 20 schools of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Held in the colourful basement of the OUP Bookshop in the Blue Area, the four-hour spoken word session had 11 to 14 years olds spilling their hearts out about an array of thoughts and emotions. Poems about their fears, their dreams and their visions of their country and its struggles had the students and judges listening ardently and clapping where the poem’s stanza was particularly beautiful.
The panel of judges comprised of Azka Khan, the host of the event and a teacher trainer with the OUP, poet and printmaker Illona Yusuf and freelance writer and actor, Risham Amjad. The judges got to witness all kinds of poets at this get together, from the very deep, the very stereotyped to the very dark.
The host, Azka Khan told the young poets that their getting together and presenting poems was not for the sake of competition and that each and every poet had a unique sense of writing and delivery. She emphasised the reason of the get together was for the young poets to meet and appreciate each others’ works. She encouraged them to continue writing poetry and gave them the example of the recently held Islamabad Literature Festival as a forum where poets are recognised. Instead of choosing first, second and thirds, the three judges commended their favorite poems, and gave many honourable mentions.