Besharam

by Nafeesa Hamid

Besharam – Nafeesa Hamid’s glorious debut collection – asks this and many other questions. When does a girl become a woman? When does her world allow her to become a woman? And what kind of woman should she be? The answers aren’t readily forthcoming.

As she treads the shifting line between woman and daughter, between Pakistan and the West, between conservative Islam and liberal, Nafeesa has almost had to find a new language to try to communicate the difficulties of her situation. And what a language! At times hard and pointed, at other times wonderfully and colourfully evocative, erupting with femininity, empowerment and rebellion. It is this language that makes Besharam such a pleasure to read in spite of the pain it contains – Besharam really is a magical first book of poetry

Genres: Poetry

108 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2018

Reviews

[Kamil Mahmood]

Nafeesa really is a phenomenal writer, performer and person. Her words are genuine, heartbreaking as they are heartforming. She has a wisdom far beyond her years. Besharam is a masterpiece.
I've been very lucky to see her growth over the years and I look forward to continue consuming what she chooses to share. Watch this space.

[Sonia Burns]

Beautiful, honest, chilling, heartbreaking, raw and vulnerable, an incident in Nafeesa's early life has shaped and coloured everything she has experienced since. If you get the opportunity to see her perform, take it.

[el]

this collection really hit deep, one of the best poetry books ive read recently if not ever, it was amazing to hear Nafeesa read recently and the power of her poetry is unreal, it addresses some heavy topics but as long as youre prepared i cant reccomend this strongly enough

[Amy Alice]

Beautiful and raw.

[tom]

Part one: Body - 4/5
Part two: Mind - 3/5
Part three: Heart - 3/5

Favourite poems : Hijab, Porn Stash, and Ice Cream.

[Bridget]

This is bravery and other feelings akin to human behaviour. This collection is full of coping mechanisms and bite. Recommend for anyone who laughs at their abuse now.

[Frank Pajunen]

Stunning, gripping work that mediates with deep insight on womanhood, mental illness, belonging, and more. Great stuff.

[Malcolm]

A punchy, uncompromising, evisceration of the demands on body and mind of girlhood becoming womanhood in a world marked by a reactionary patriarchal code….