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Postcards from god

Exploring identity, culture, and conflict through poetry

Imtiaz Dharker author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloodaxe Books Ltd

Published:29th May '97

Should be back in stock very soon

Postcards from god cover

Imtiaz Dharker's Postcards from god combines two earlier collections, exploring themes of identity, displacement, and societal conflict through powerful poetry and personal illustrations.

In Postcards from god, Imtiaz Dharker presents a poignant exploration of the human experience through the lens of an anguished deity. This collection merges two previously published works, Purdah and Postcards from god, showcasing Dharker's unique perspective shaped by her experiences across Pakistan, Britain, and India. The poems delve into themes of fundamentalism, exile, and the search for identity, reflecting the complexities of a life marked by transition and cultural negotiation. Dharker's voice resonates with a deep sense of empathy as she navigates the challenges of belonging and displacement.

The collection paints vivid imagery of a world fraught with conflict and tension, where the poet's observations reveal the fragility of human connections. In Purdah, Dharker captures the essence of a traveler caught between cultures, while Postcards from god broadens the scope to address societal issues such as violence and grief. Her poignant reflections serve as a reminder of the shared struggles faced by individuals in a fractured world, urging readers to confront their own perceptions of safety and belonging.

Illustrated with her own artwork, Postcards from god offers a visual accompaniment that enhances the emotional depth of the poems. Each drawing complements the text, creating a holistic experience that invites contemplation. Dharker's ability to intertwine her artistic talents with her poetic voice makes this collection a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst chaos and uncertainty.

'The poems are amplified by powerful black and white drawings by the author. The line is Imtiaz Dharker's sole weapon in a zone of assault which stretches over the Indian subcontinent's bloody history, the shifting dynamics of personal relationships and the torment of an individual caught between two cultures, divergent world-views' - Ranjit Hoskote, The Times of India ‘Hers is a strong, concerned, economical poetry, in which political activity, homesickness, urban violence, religious anomalies, are raised in an unobtrusive domestic setting, all the more effectively for their coolness of treatment’ – Alan Ross, London Magazine. ‘Here is no glib internationalism or modish multiculturalism …Displacement here no longer spells exile; it means an exhilarating sense of life at the interstices. There is an exultant celebration of a self that strips off layers of superfluous identity with grace and abandon, only to discover that it has not diminished, but grown larger, generous, more inclusive’ – Arundhathi Subramaniam, Poetry International. 'Were there to be a World Laureate, Imtiaz Dharker would be the only candidate' – Carol Ann Duffy.

ISBN: 9781852244071

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 251g

160 pages