Poetic Voices of the Muslim World

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World examines the central role of poetry in the lives of Muslim men and women around the globe through programs in public libraries. Developed by Poets House and City Lore, Poetic Voices features talks, readings and performances; a traveling panel exhibition; and a rich, poem-filled website. Poetic Voices has traveled to public library systems in ten cities across the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida; Los Angeles, California; San Francisco, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; the Borough of Queens in New York City; St. Louis, Missouri; and Washington, D.C.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World has introduced audiences across the country to the diversity of Muslim cultures through the rich and varied traditions of its poetries, from Yemeni oral traditions employed by women to argue their opinions about village issues during agricultural work, to protest slogans used during the “Arab Springs,” to modern Arabic poetry that experiments with written literary forms to deconstruct colonialism. The program has attracted enthusiastic, wide-ranging audiences—including those who have been introduced to the poetry of Muslim cultures for the first time, as well as Muslim communities throughout the United States—building appreciation and respect between communities and cultures.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World has been presented in partnership with the American Library Association and City Lore, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. This project is the result of an NEH Bridging Cultures Planning grant received in 2010 to produce Illuminated Verses: Poetries of the Islamic World, which City Lore and Poets House produced in 2011 in conjunction with the Asia Society and the Borough of Manhattan Community College. The book of essays published by Poets House to celebrate Illuminated Verses is downloadable for free as a PDF.

Programs included the following events, which were supplemented by events featuring local performers and presenters at each library. The panel exhibition that accompanied these events is available to interested library systems by contacting Managing Director Jane Preston.

Past Events

Spring 2016

Newark Public Library
Poetic Voices of the Muslim World multi-panel exhbit
On view Tuesday, February 12–Saturday, April 9, 2016
Main Library, 5 Washington Street, Newark NJ

Newark Museum
Islam and the Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Newark Museum, 49 Washington St, Newark, NJ

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojaddedi and Amir Vahab and his ensemble
Sunday, May 18, 2016
Newark Museum, 49 Washington St, Newark, NJ

Fall 2015

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library
The Worlds of the Ghazal with Dr. Syed Akbar Hyder and Kiran Ahluwalia
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Central Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta, GA

The Traveling Word: A West African Epic with Kewulay Kamara
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Central Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta, GA

Islam and the Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Central Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta, GA

Reading and discussion with poet Kazim Ali
Tuesday, November 17, 2015, Central Library
One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta, GA

Houston Public Library
Islam and the Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Central Library, 500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX

E-mails from Scheherazad: Reading and discussion with poet Mohja Kahf
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Central Library, 500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojaddedi and Amir Vahab and his ensemble
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Central Library, 500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX

The Traveling Word: A West African Epic with Kewulay Kamara
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Central Library, 500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX

Spring 2015

St Louis Public Library

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojadeddi and Amir Vahab & his ensemble
Wednesday, April 29, 2015, 6:30pm
Central Library Auditorium, 1310 Olive Street, St Louis

The History and Poetics of the Qur’an with Dr. Bruce Lawrence and Qur’anic chanters
Wednesday, May 6, 2015, 7:00pm
Carpenter Branch Library, 3309 S Grand Blvd., St Louis

Veils and Words: Iranian Women Poets of the 20th Century with Dr. Farzaneh Milani
Thursday, May 14, 2015, 7:00pm
Schlafly Branch Library, 225 North Euclid Avenue, St Louis

Islam and The Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 6:30pm
Central Library Auditorium, 1310 Olive Street, St Louis

San Francisco Public Library

Poetry Reading and talk with poet Persis Karim
Tuesday, April 7, 2015, 6:30pm
Latino Hispanic Community Room
Main Library (Lower Level), 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco

Islam and The Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 6:30pm
Latino Hispanic Community Room
Main Library (Lower Level), 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco

Syrian-American Hip-Hop & Spoken Word artist Omar Offendum
Wednesday, April 15, 2015, 6:30pm
Latino Hispanic Community Room
Main Library (Lower Level), 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco

The Thousand and One Nights with Dr. Sinan Antoon
Thursday, April 16, 2015, 6:30pm
Arab Cultural and Community Center, 2 Plaza Street, San Francisco

Spring 2014

Detroit Public Library
Words of Praise: the Qasida with Dr. Michael Sells and Amir ElSaffar with the ensemble Safaafir
Saturday, March 15, 2014, 1:00pm
Detroit Public Library (Central), 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit MI

Islam and The Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Saturday, April 12, 2014, 1:00pm
Detroit Public Library (Central), 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit MI

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojadeddi and Amir Vahab and his ensemble
Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 6:00pm
Detroit Public Library (Central), 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI

Syrian-American Hip-Hop & Spoken Word artist Omar Offendum
Friday, May 30, 2014, 6:00pm
Detroit Public Library (Central), 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI
in collaboration with the Arab American National Museum

Queens Library
Poetic Voices of the Muslim World Exhibit Opening
Wednesday, March 05, 2014, 6:00-8:00pm
Queens Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, NY

Islam and The Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Saturday, April 5, 2pm
Queens Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, NY

The Worlds of the Ghazal with Syed Akbar Hyder and ghazal singer Kiran Ahluwalia
Saturday, April 26, 2014, 1:30 pm
Flushing Library, 41-17 Main St. Flushing, NY

Love Speaks: A Day of Art and Poetry from the Muslim World
Sunday, May 12, 2014, 1:00-4:30pm
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, New York NY

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojadeddi and Amir Vahab and his ensemble
Saturday, May 17, 2014, 5:00 pm
Flushing Library, 41-17 Main St. Flushing, NY

E-mails from Scheherazad: Poetry Reading and talk with poet Mohja Kahf
Saturday, May 31, 2014, 3pm
Jackson Heights Library, 35-51 81st Street, Jackson Heights, NY

Fall 2013

DC Public Library
Veils and Words: Iranian Women Poets of the 20th Century with Dr. Farzaneh Milani
Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 7:00pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (Central) Library
901 G St NW, Washington, DC

Understanding Turkish Cultures through Poetry: From Sufism to Postmodernism with Dr. Kemal Silay
Monday, October 7, 2013, 7:00pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (Central) Library
901 G St NW, Washington, DC

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojadeddi and Amir Vahab & his Ensemble
Wednesday October 23, 2012, 7:00pm
Watha T. Daniel-Shaw Neighborhood Library
1630 7th St. NW, Washington, DC

Islam and The Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 7:00pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (Central) Library
901 G St NW, Washington, DC

The Worlds of the Ghazal with Syed Akbar Hyder and Kiran Ahluwalia
Tuesday, November 19, 2013, 7:00pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (Central) Library
901 G St NW, Washington, DC

Milwaukee Public Library
Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojadeddi and Amir Vahab & his Ensemble
Tuesday, September 24, 2013, 6:30pm
Central Library, Centennial Hall
733 N. Eighth Street, Milwaukee

The Worlds of the Ghazal with Syed Akbar Hyder and Kiran Ahluwalia
Sunday, October 6, 2013, 2:00pm
Central Library, Centennial Hall
733 N. Eighth Street, Milwaukee

Islam and The Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Sunday, November 03, 2013, 1:00pm
Marquette University’s Varsity Theater
1326 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee

Yemeni Women’s Poetic Traditions with Dr. Najwa Adra
Sunday, November 17, 2013, 2:00pm
Central Library, Centennial Hall
733 N. Eighth Street, Milwaukee

Spring 2013

Jacksonville Public Library
Islam and The Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Saturday, March 02, 2013, 7 pm
Adam W. Herbert University Center, Grand Ballroom
University of North Florida, 12000 Alumni Drive, Jacksonville

Words of Praise: the Qasida with Dr. Michael Sells and Amir ElSaffar & Safaafir
Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 7 pm
Jacksonville Public Library (Main Library), Hicks Auditorium, Conference Center Level
303 N Laura St, Jacksonville

The Worlds of the Ghazal with Syed Akbar Hyder and Kiran Ahluwalia
Saturday, April 06, 2013, 7 pm
Talon Room, Osprey Commons, Building 16, 4th Floor
University of North Florida, 1 University of North Florida Drive, Jacksonville

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojadeddi and Amir Vahab & his ensemble
Wednesday, May 29, 2012, 7 pm
Adam W. Herbert University Center, Grand Ballroom
University of North Florida, 12000 Alumni Drive, Jacksonville

Los Angeles Public Library
Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojaddedi and Amir Vahab & his ensemble
Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 6:30pm
Los Angeles Public Library, Westwood Branch, 1246 Glendon Ave, Los Angeles

Lecture & Reading by poet Persis Karim
Saturday, April 06, 2013, 2pm
Los Angeles Public Library, Westwood Branch, 1246 Glendon Ave, Los Angeles

Poetry from Anatolia: the Ottoman Lyric and the Turkish Folk Song with Dr. Kemal Silay
Saturday, April 13, 2013, 2pm
Los Angeles Public Library (Central Library) 630 W 5th St, Los Angeles

Words of Praise: the Qasida with Dr. Michael Sells and Zafer Tawil & his Ensemble
Saturday, May 18, 2013m, 2pm
Los Angeles Public Library (Central Library) 630 W 5th St, Los Angeles

For more information, visit the Poetic Voices of the Muslim World website.