Description
This piece begins in the pain of rebirth and grief, but leads to an unexpected, sweet climax. Contrapuntal writing and a virtuosic cello part bring drama and excitement.
Premiere performance recording from August 4, 2023 by Isthmus Vocal Ensemble: Dr. Michael McGaghie, conductor ,Vincent Fuh, pianist, Mark Bridges, cellist
Text
it’s okay
if you’re burning
with anger
or sadness
or both
it is necessary
for you to collapse
so you can learn
how phoenixes are
reborn
when they burn
and rise again
from the ashes of
their existence
survival is not beautiful
it is fire, ache, and everything that hurts
combined
but the survivors know how
after survival
everything is so insanely beautiful
~ Noor Unnahar
Hailing from the city of Karachi, Noor Unnahar is a pioneering creative voice associated with the international publication and social media industry with over 6 years of experience. She received her BFA from the esteemed institution of Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2022, where she was the recipient of Dr. Salim Uz Zaman award for the best Final Research Paper for her undergrad research. Her work has been recognized globally and continues to grow across the continents. Her poetry has been translated into a number of languages, which include published translations of her debut collection Yesterday I Was the Moon (Penguin Random House, 2018) in Dutch (Gisteren Was Ik De Maan, MUSE, 2019) and Chinese (Pan Press, 2021). Her latest collection of poetry New Names for Lost Things was published in October 2021 by Andrews McMeel and continues to bring raving reviews from readers around the world. A number of poems from New Names for Lost Things have been translated into Albanian and published in PEN International (Kosovo) magazine (JUNE 2022).