Daily Times

Oxford University Press (OUP) organised a discussion around its new publication Defiance of the Rose – Selected Poems by Perveen Shakir translated from Urdu by Naima Rashid. Rendered into English with the steady hand of a poet, these translations capture the resonance and flow of the original poems by Perveen Shakir, undoubtedly one of the best-loved poets of the Urdu-speaking world. This curation of 100 poems showcases Shakir’s flair in a diverse poetic palette and are reflective of her hallmark work-a poetic style which is simple and crisp. Also included in this collection are some insightful and astutely observed portraits of ordinary men and women in society as well as well-known figures.

Naima Rashid is an author, poet, and literary translator. Her forthcoming works include her own poetry and fiction, as well as a series of literary translations from Urdu, Punjabi and French into English. She has a background in linguistics, education, writing and has taught French language at the French Consulate of Jeddah and the Alliance Française de Lahore and French Literature at Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore. Her writings on visual arts and other subjects have appeared in Newsline magazine and other publications. This is her first book.

The event featured an invigorating discussion between Rashid, the eminent Urdu poet Amjad Islam Amjad and the moderator Ali Madeeh Hashmi. The conversation highlighted how the poems in this volume offer a glimpse into the full breadth of Shakir’s work. The speakers pointed out that this long-awaited translation makes Shakir’s work accessible to a more diverse audience.

Earlier in his welcome address, OUP Sales Director Fayyaz Raja introduced the speakers and the moderator and spoke about OUP’s publishing programme.

Rashid is currently on a book tour, having launched Defiance of the Rose at the 10th Karachi Literature Festival, followed by talks, discussions, and workshops planned around the book in Lahore, Islamabad and Jeddah.