Impromptu Poet - Afrose Fatima Ahmed

Afrose Fatima Ahmed

This past Friday evening on my way to the take down of the NW Collage Show at the Phinney Center in Seattle I happened upon the "Impromptu Poet," Afrose Fatima Ahmed.  I had read about her in the Seattle Times a few weeks ago and was pleased to find her at the Phinney Market perched in front of her typewriter waiting for her next spontaneous poem.

As her sign relates, Afrose creates poems on the spot.  Give her a word or words and all of a sudden the typewriter keys start clicking away.  Afrose uses only her index fingers to type amazing poetry in just a few minutes.  I requested that she write a poem using "art" or "artist".  Once done she asked if I would like her to read her poem aloud.  I did and so did she.  Here is what I got in quick order.

art/artist

i was not the glittering
glamor-coated star
elevated on the stage.

i was but the hollow reed
shoved deep into a fertile
soil- simply an open
channel to the source
- that elusive thing

from which all of us
are born
& to which we all
must return.

my only job to keep my insides clear
no hardening arteries
to prevent the flow
of this art.

afrose fatima ahmed
seattle, wa
8/26/16

www.afrosefatimaahmed.com

I photographed Afrose as she was writing my poem.  Before I left she gave me permission to use my photos in a piece of art.  I created what you see above in an art journal.  Thanks Afrose for an inspiring experience.