Tag Archives: Wida Tausif

World Poetry Celebrates Bernice Lever from Canada!

Ariadne’s Notes; The World Poetry Café with host and producer, Ariadne Sawyer and co-host Neall Ryon with super tech Victor, were honoured to welcome the award winning poet and author, Bernice Lever to the show on December 10th, at 1PM Pacific Standard Time on CFRO 105.FM .A fascinating show with e-questions, poems , insights on peace, Poetic News and more! CLICK HERE to listen to the show! Music by Enrico Renz and Ablaye . First gift peace poem by Wida Tausif, one of 800 divided up between four poets for the World Poetry Canada International upcoming Exhibit at UBC.

Bernice Lever, born 1936 in Smithers, BC, was a founding editor of WAVES, literary magazine, York U., from 1972-1987 and has published nine poetry books, (Red Letter Day, Black Moss, 2014), a teaching CD: The Colour of Words. She’s active in Canadian Authors, League of Canadian Poets, Federation of BC Writers, etc. She reads poems, (some prize winners), across Canada, USA and abroad. She has won five Lifetime Achievement awards as well as the Allan Sangster Award. Also she was named #1 Comedy Writer at Whistler Writers Festival , Comedy Quickies” event, October 15, 2015.

Writer-in-Residence for CAA – Vancouver, she edits book manuscripts. Retired from Seneca College, Toronto, she gives workshops across Canada Bernice gets ‘high’ on words. www.colourofwords.com

PEACE Seedlings

Each PEACE poem is a dry speck until spring rains,

then an acceptance flows, then a shell cracks,

until one root begins to stretch and multiply —

Each Peace public statement gains

from open positive nourishment,

from added fertilizer praises,

so roots flourish more and more —

Each Peace rally adds sun warmth

to coax this first stem to burst up,

to sprout tiny, green leaves,

to subdivide again and again —

Each Peace song that sings,

each Peace music performance,

again and again until many voices

caress lush buds on muti plants —

Each PEACE prayer, one recites

in private or in parliament,

encourages and supports blossoms

of all colours to bloom,

causing scents of PEACE

to inoculate the world,

encircle the globe.

Bernice Lever ©

World Poetry Celebrates Wida Tausif, from Afghanistan and New Zealand!

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Ariadne’s notes: We are honoured to present the work of yet another wonderful youth poet Wida Tausif . World Poetry is so blessed with such talented children and youth that shine a bright light for both the present and the future. I am constantly amazed at the level of talent and empowerment of the Afghan poets, filmmakers, photographers and humanitarians that we know. So proud of them all!

Afghan New Zealander, Wida Tausif, was born in Afghanistan in 1992. Her family fled to Pakistan and lived in Peshawar for 9 years. Life there was uncertain, and they registered with the United Nations High Commission to find a safer place to live. Encountering many hurdles along the way, they were eventually granted residency to New Zealand, which Wida felt was ‘the furthest part of the world’… she has since moved to Melbourne. Wida has a very real talent for writing about her homeland and her many emotional experiences. She puts into words the often traumatic and difficult transition from Afghanistan to Peshawar, Peshawar to New Zealand and eventually to Australia. Wida’s main goals in life are to ‘bring light in my people’s heart and keeping our Afghan culture alive’ by writing and becoming an official representative of her beautiful country. Wida does this through her beautifully deep crafted poetry. Bernadette Hall, a well-known NZ poet, said of Wida’s poem, “My Sweet Afghanistan” ‘…reminds me of some of the work of South American liberationist poets, like Neruda and Vallejo’. This same poem was nominated in Canterbury during National Poetry Day (competition) 2010.

She writes: ” Here are some links: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/widatausif https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wida-Tausif/177348115702973 I also Contribute articles to a variety of Magazine, both Australian, Afghani and Bollywood which is Indian.”

Here is one of her powerful poems:

Her new book is Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams!

World Poetry Proudly Presents Wida Tausif from Afghanistan and New Zealand!

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Featured Afghan Youth Poet.

Afghan New Zealander, Wida Tausif, born in Afghanistan in 1992, comes from a very well educated family; her mother a teacher and her father a ‘government director’ and as has been the case for many Afghans, Wida and her family fled to Pakistan and stayed in Peshawar for the next 9 years. Her father and brother were the only breadwinners in the family at that time and life was uncertain. They decided to register with the United Nations High Commission to find a safer environment for the family to live. Encountering many hurdles along the way, they were eventually granted residency to New Zealand, which Wida felt was ‘the furthest part of the world’….

In 2011 Wida moved to Melbourne due to the earthquake that struck in Christchurch. She now enjoys living in Melbourne, a much safer environment where she has an equal chance for a first-class future.

Wida successfully completed high school in 2010 and is quiet content. With a very real talent for writing about her homeland and her many emotional experiences, she puts into words the often traumatic and difficult transition from Afghanistan to Peshawar, Peshawar to New Zealand and eventually to Australia.

Quoting the young woman herself, Wida’s main goals in life are to ‘bring light in my people’s heart and keeping our Afghan culture alive’ by writing and becoming an official representative of her beautiful country. Wida is one of the many young and upcoming talented Afghans who are not only in touch with their roots but also on a quest to encourage others, despite living far away from her beloved country. Wida does this through her beautifully deep crafted poetry. Other communities outside of our Afghan community are captivated by her poetry.

Bernadette Hall, a well known NZ poet, said of Wida’s poem “my Sweet Afghanistan” ‘…reminds me of some of the work of South American liberationists poets, like Neruda and Vallejo’. Wida should definitely pursue her writing. This same poem was nominated in Canterbury during National Poetry Day (competition) 2010.

The vibrant and passionate young woman that Wilda is, is reflected in her writing, with much to offer readers who would like an insight into the beauty and heartbreak that is Afghanistan.

Wida’s talent and quest to bring honor to her treasured country Afghanistan is very admirable.

My Sweet Afghanistan

As I walk in the streets of this foreign city
I remember my sweet Kabul,
The beautiful gardens
And the fountains.
Oh my sweet Afghans,
I’m the Afghan who has awoken,
my nation’s anger has empowered me,
my ruined and burnt villages have filled me,
with hatred against the enemy,

I’ve found my path and will never return,
I’ve opened and closed doors of ignorance,
I’ve said farewell to my beautiful country,
I’ve seen barefoot and homeless children,
I’ve seen those children trying to find freedom in the last breaths,
In the waves of blood and in victory.

If only there was peace,
you would have heard,
the joy of children laughing around you.

Oh my sweet Afghans,
With all my strength I’m with you,
Walking towards emancipation,
I’ve stepped up to the path of my nation,

To break all these sufferings,
All these chains of slavery,
I hope one day I could transform my country from oppression,
Injustice
To freedom and justice,
That’s my only dream…

By Wida Tausif (C)