A pocketful of poetry from Karachi!

Bengaluru: In a world that does not always treat women right, poetry is not just a tool of expression, but of empowerment. The sentiment echoes strongly with Spoken Stage, a spoken word poetry group from Karachi in Pakistan that is currently in the city for a performance.

“It is a powerful thing for us women to speak about things we experience on a daily basis. It gives us a voice,” says Mariam Paracha, the 26- year- old founder of Spoken Stage.

Started as a thesis for her college four years ago, it has gone on to become a platform for  young women of her country to share their stories. "I honestly did not know it would turn out the way it has. I always wrote a lot, but I didn't know how to make anyone hear what I had to say and now Spoken Stage has become a platform for everyone who has something to tell," says Mariam.

A blogger and a poet,  performing poetry is to her all about emanating strength and expression, and steering away from beliefs that tie women down. Spoken Stage’s performances deal with issues that hit home  not just with Pakistani, but  women all around the world, such as feminism, communalism, family relationships in a patriarchal society and the tugs of traditional beliefs in a rapidly changing world.

"Growing up as a girl in Karachi, though wonderful, is very traditional. Exposed to the Internet, we see a larger world and tend to question some beliefs. My poems are all about finding a voice as a woman in Karachi and for my expression to be heard. These words are a way of conveying stories that people may not always be comfortable with, but which need to be told anyway,”  says Mariam , adding, " People may not like it and may be uncomfortable hearing them,  but telling these stories is very important, not just to bring people together but to also sow the seeds of tolerance."  

With  poetry now flourishing in Pakistan in languages other than Urdu as well, platforms like Spoken Stage are bringing the youth of Pakistan together, she explains. "We barely know what is happening in say Lahore while sitting in Karachi and likewise. But the workshops we do and this platform has brought us closer. We're  planning to have a Pakistan Poetry Slam soon along with Islamabad," she reveals.

Mariam's new dream is to create a space for performing arts, which Pakistan currently lacks.  "There is a huge deficit of spaces for us to perform in and organise workshops. They are either inaccessible or charge a lot of money. So may be one day, if we keep going, we can create a space for poets,dancers, musicians and theatre artistes that  will be accessible to all,” she says optimistically.

Spoken Stage will entertain Bengalureans with 13 fiery performances on Sunday as a part of the National Youth Poetry Slam 2016, the first of its kind in India, being held in the city.