Anjail Rashida Ahmad - Award Winning Poet, Educator and Activist

 

Anjail Rashida Ahmad An Unforgettable Poet

 

"I first met Dr. Anjail Rashida Ahmad in newsprint. As I turned the pages of the April 1, 2004, Go Triad, a Greensboro News and Record supplement, my eyes were drawn to an article entitled, ”Poetry Leads the Way,” along with Dr. Ahmad’s photograph. This black and white picture revealed a striking African American woman with cropped hair, finely chiseled features, and an arresting smile. Anjail Ahmad’s circuitous journey to become a poet and college professor intrigued me, as well as her exquisite definition of poetry as stated in the article:

 

Poetry is like unfolding the leaves of our heart. It helps remind us who we are, what we love, what we fear and who the enemy is. It’s the song of being human. It’s our way of remembering.

 

I wanted to know more about this amazing individual who was blinded by glaucoma and who had the face of an angel, filled with goodness and wisdom.

 

Nearly a year later, I met in person Dr. Ahmad on March 20, 2005, at the Greensboro Vance Chavis Branch Library. There, on a Sunday afternoon, she led a poetry workshop entitled, ”Me in History: Inscribing the Self in Historical Context.”

 

With an embracing spirit, soothing voice, and warm smile, Anjail Ahmad welcomed the class participants. As an eclectic, interracial group of eight women, we then introduced ourselves. I stated that while I loved poetry, I did not profess to be a poet. My only talent was being able to help young writers tap into their poetic voices. As our poet-teacher read aloud selected pieces of her poetry, she revealed portions of her life. With her calm and measured voice and her precise and eloquent language, she mesmerized her audience. Anjail’s encouraging and gentle manner made us feel safe in reacting to her poetic works, in asking her questions, and in responding to classmates’ comments. Poof, like magic, our teacher had created a sanctuary within the walls of an ordinary library classroom!

 

For our writing assignment, Anjail issued an invitation to our hearts. She asked each of us to select a photograph or a strong memory of oneself in a particular context reflecting time and place. Silence enveloped the room. With this activity we participants explored the crevices of our hearts and minds and plumbed deep into our souls for insights and understandings of the events and time periods. Then, with our inspirational findings, we composed autobiographical/historical poems.
Then it was time to share our poems. We listened intently as each reader unfurled fragments of her soul. With these readings, it felt as if threads of the finest silk connected each of us one to another. We were as one, taking joy from each writer’s poetic efforts. It should be said that the poems reflected a range of developmental stages of writing. Some had promising beginnings while others were complete. Karol Neufeld’s poem, ”Fifteen,” impressed us with its power and poetic construction. This poem was good enough to be submitted for publication, I thought.

 

Although I did not complete my poem that day, I nevertheless felt great joy and satisfaction with this poetry experience. What a great privilege it was to meet Anjail Rashida Ahmad and to listen to her expressive voice as she recited from memory her beautiful poems! Our poet-leader’s motivational technique of the use of a photograph or a strong memory to help the writer search her soul for understandings of an event was empowering. Such a technique I can use again and again to help me reflect upon my past experiences and construct meaning in my life. That day something else happened that was extraordinary. Eight women of different ages, backgrounds, experiences, and races bonded in spirit as they opened their hearts to one another.

 

Anjail’s poetry workshop was a magical experience. I’ve encoded this standout memory in my heart. Always it will be a part of me. My sincere wish is that other poetry enthusiasts have the opportunity to be cast under the spell of the poet, Anjail Rashida Ahmad. You will be enriched forever by her magic!?

Carmen Falls Redding April 21, 2005

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Contact Information:

Anjail Rashida Ahmad, PhD

Director and Associate Professor,

The Creative Writing Program at A&T

North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro, NC 27411

Tel: 336.334.7771, ext. 2370

E-mail: arahmad@anjailahmad.com; arahmad@ncat.edu

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• This site has been made possible in part With support of the North Carolina Arts Council and the partnering arts councils of the Central Piedmont Regional Artists Hub Program.

 

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