Front Porch Magazine
April 2012 (pg. 8)
Our pasts often dictate our medium of expression, so it is no surprise that A l a h a A h r a r chooses poetry. The UMW student and w i n n e r o f a 2 0 1 1 W o r l d P o e t ry P e a c e A m b a s s a d o r a n d Y o u t h P o e t A w a r d was nurtured by a family of renowned Afghani poets during a time of Taliban rule. Women, once holding respected careers, were secluded and denied a voice. Smiling, yet solemn, Ahrar considers her past, “I’m sure we definitely had many female poets and writers, because Afghanistan is a poetic land. No one knew these women because they were oppressed. During the Taliban period, my family supported me and taught me poetry, but none of it was allowed.”