I’m not sure if the thoughts ever fully conclude. For me, they’ve always amalgamated into something else which I learn through them. I’ve learnt to be less black-and-white about situations, and know that life weaves and loops in and around of itself more than we can see.

We think it will get easier the older we get, as though our wisdom ripens with age and time passing by. In fact, I’ve found the work, and dedication to understanding and relaying an internal thought path is what really gets you there. Unrushed and dedicated. There is fear in everything where hope often resides. We ask ourselves, what happens if that hope fails. And then the ‘if’, turns into a ‘when’, and that’s when we turn to run, to isolate and escape. We end up saying, not today.

Making art can be one of the most isolating tasks in this life. My predecessors, other poets, and artists before me have relished this theory. No one becomes ‘great’ by having greatness as its sole end goal or be it a goal at all. To those who embody such essence, to themselves, it is a hunger to fulfill an objective with little to no mortal understanding. Guiding them by an internal siren, where the only purpose is to move into non-material succession. They become great, possibly, often in detriment to themselves.

LEAVE. HOME.

These throws of heartache,
we’re pushed to swim.
An ill-timed fate,
for such a short, sweet relief.
For hope that tomorrow,
there will be ease to be carefree.
To repeat this journey,
as we may never remember,
– in the throes of heartache.

Written August 2020. I painted something extraordinary to go with this. The first time I’d written something to pair with my paintings. I think I’d always been a romantic.

To be included in Shumaiya’s debut poetry book ‘A Year’ - published by Olympia.

With all loves in our lives, we hold on tight, we nurture its growth. We weave in, intertwine our intentions. And within all the fear, we jump ahead for that bit of hope. We put aside our past experiences. For the lucky ones amongst us, the lived in moments part us with learned silver linings, and we prevail despite our odds. Despite what it will do to us. After all, maybe it’s ‘what would happen if it all worked out?’. We are so used to putting out a light, the fire which so naturally burns, before the spark can be seen.

I JUST WANTED TO.

I just wanted to
Wipe the slate clean
Have an uncomplicated life
Sugar from dates
Sweetest of dates
Smell of jasmine
Hot evening sun
Shade of palm trees
Sweetest of dates

How I approach my practise has often taught me how I navigate life. I’ve learnt a lot about timings and the importance to register a moment. How much of life, like art can never be rushed. Most importantly, how no exponential amount of delay and fear will ever succeed when it it comes to matters of the heart and human desire. We can argue the heart and human desire are 2 different paths. However, my rebuttal to you my loves, is when all comes to a simplest of point, where does the difference lie. Or do both efforts balance and feed the other. Maybe that’s for next week.

Shumaiya x

A PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY - ON reckoning

a personal philosophy - an ode to tides

THE LONGEST MARRIAGE - ‘THE LOOPING HUMAN’