Queens Library invites YOU to explore “Poetic Voices of the Muslim World,” an exhibition and program series to be held throughout Queens from March 5 – May 31, 2014. Admission to the exhibit and all events is free. Check out the full event listings here, or below.

The keynote event will feature actor, Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist and novelist Ayad Akhtar. It will take place on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at 6 p.m. at Queens Library – Central, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, NY. Opening remarks will be made by Queens Library President and CEO Thomas W. Galante and by Executive Director of Poets House, Lee Briccetti. A reception and tour of the exhibit will follow.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World examines the central role of poetry in the everyday lives of Muslim men and women around the globe. It taps into poetry’s ability to create indelible images, extend the reach of language and to express complex ideas and feelings through metaphor, making it a powerful force for illuminating cultural experiences. It looks at classical poetic traditions and contemporary poets.

The exhibit will be on display at Queens Library – Central through the end of May. It features photography and calligraphic masterworks, as well as the work of poets ranging from the 13th century Rumi to the contemporary poet Adonis. Queens Library has a full schedule of programs (below) for adults and children in libraries across the borough, and of course, books of poetry to borrow and enjoy.
 

 Then, join us for the next three months at a Queens Library near YOU as we continue to celebrate this rich poetic tradition!

Thursday, March 6
Arabic Calligraphy Workshop for School-Age Children
Students will explore diverse Muslim cultures through art and create their own Arabic calligraphy project. For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Jackson Heights
35-51 81 Street
718-899-2500

Saturday, March 8
An Afternoon of Urdu Poetry in Song
Renowned Urdu ghazal singer Ajay Jha will perform accompanied by tabla and harmonium.
3 p.m.
Queens Library at Jackson Heights
35-51 81 Street
718-899-2500

Wednesday, March 12
A Magic Carpet Ride: Tales from the Arabian Nights and a Persian Carpet Craft
Listen to the story of Aladdin and other tales from the Arabian Nights. Then create your own “magic carpet” using traditional Persian rug colors, designs, and motifs.  For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Children’s Library Discovery Center (Multi-Purpose Room)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Wednesday, March 19
Book Discussion: “And the Mountains Echoed” by Khaled Hosseini
11:30 a.m.
Central Library, Main Floor Conference Room
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Wednesday, March 19
The Gifts of Wali Dad.  Reader’s Theater and Art from the Islamic World
The kind hearted grasscutter Wali Dad finds that gifts can be a mixed blessing.  Participants can help tell his story and then make a craft inspired by Islamic art. For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Children's Story Room)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200

Thursday, March 20
Arabic Calligraphy Workshop for School-Age Children
Students will explore diverse Muslim cultures through art and create their own Arabic calligraphy project. For children ages 6-12
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Steinway
21-45 31 Street
718-728-1965

Thursday and Friday, March 20 & 21
Poetic Textiles for Young Adults
Turn a poem into a work of art.  Materials will be provided. For ages 10 -14
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Pomonok
158-21 Jewel Avenue
718-591-4343

Saturday, March 22
Film Screening and Discussion of “Prince Among Slaves”
View a documentary film about 26-year-old Abdul Rahman Sori, heir to the throne of one of the largest kingdoms in Africa who was captured in an ambush in 1788, sold to English slavers, endured the brutal Middle Passage to America and was purchased by a struggling Mississippi farmer.
3 p.m.
Central Library (Auditorium)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Saturday, April 5
Islam and the Blues with Dr. Sylviane Diouf
Through images and recordings, award-winning historian Sylviane Diouf illustrates how the blues, which originated in the American South, may have evolved from the techniques of the recitation of the Qur'an and the call to prayer in West Africa.
2 p.m.
Central Library (Auditorium)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Monday, April 7
Celebrate Diversity: Poetic Voices from the Muslim World
Children ages 6 – 12 are invited to this bilingual program presented in English and Urdu.  Enjoy traditional stories, Urdu nursery rhymes and an introduction to Arabic letters.  Participants will paint a truck inspired by Islamic art designs
4 p.m.
Queens Library at Lefferts
103-34 Lefferts Boulevard
718-843-5950

Wednesday, April 9
Pleasing Patterns: Poetry and Art from the Muslim World
Learn about traditional forms of Islamic poetry and write your own poem. Then make a mosaic with a traditional Islamic geometric design. For children ages 6 – 12.
4 p.m.
Children’s Library Discovery Center (Multi-Purpose Room)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Friday, April 11
Young Poetic Voices of Woodside
Children and teens are invited to read their own poems or a favorite poem by another author. Each participant will receive a small prize. Adults are welcome!
3:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Woodside
54-22 Skillman Avenue
718-429-4700

Saturday, April 12
Saturday Science Lab: Spotlight on Muslim Inventions and Scientific Advances
Explore Muslim inventions and scientific advances with hands-on science fun!  Children ages 6-12 and their families are welcome to participate.
11 a.m.
Central Library (Areas A & B)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Tuesday, April 15 – Friday, April 18
Muslim World Quilt
Children ages 8-14 will create a quilt inspired by words, poems, patterns and colors characteristic to the Arabic culture
3:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Broadway
40-20 Broadway
718-721-2462

Thursday, April 17
Marbled Paper from the Muslim World
Learn how to create beautiful marbled prints on paper and hear some Arabic folktales. For grades 1 – 6.
2 p.m.
Queens Library at Glen Oaks
256-04 Union Turnpike
718-831-8636

Friday, April 25
Book Discussion: “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” by  Moshin Hamid
11:30 a.m.
Queens Library at Bay Terrace
18-36 Bell Boulevard
718-423-7004
  

Saturday, April 26
Film Screening and Discussion of “Prince Among Slaves”
View a documentary film about 26-year-old Abdul Rahman Sori, heir to the throne of one of the largest kingdoms in Africa who was captured in an ambush in 1788, sold to English slavers, endured the brutal Middle Passage to America and was purchased by a struggling Mississippi farmer.
2 p.m.
Langston Hughes Community Library
100-01 Northern Boulevard
718-651-1100

Saturday, April 26
Worlds of the Ghazal with Syed Akbar Hyder and Kiran Ahluwalia
Composed in sets of two-line verses, the ghazal has long been favored by poets from the Arabic Golden Age and the Ottoman courts to the contemporary English-speaking world.  Scholar Syed Akbar Hyder offers a brief history of this form and thoughtful readings of work by two Urdu masters. The lecture is followed by a performance by Indo-Canadian ghazal singer Kiran Ahluwalia and her accompanist Rez Abbasi, who bring contemporary stylings to this timeless work.
1:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Auditorium)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200

Monday, April 28
Ebru  Art with Bingul Sevimli (in Turkish)
Learn the techniques of traditional Ebru (paper marbling) and investigate the idea of paper as an art object.
5:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Sunnyside
43-06 Greenpoint Avenue
718-784-3033

Wednesday, April 30
Afghan Calligraphy Workshop with Mitra Dejkameh (in Persian [Dari] and English)
Learn about the major Urdu, Persian and Arabic calligraphy styles and practice the basics.
6 pm.
Queens Library at Pomonok
158-21 Jewel Avenue
718-591-4343

Saturday, May 3
Author Talk with Eliza Griswold: I Am the Beggar of the World: Landays from Contemporary Afghanistan
Eliza Griswold travelled to Afghanistan to collect the couplets of this ancient oral and anonymous form created by and for mostly illiterate people: the more than 20 million Pashtun women who span the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Light refreshments will be served.
3 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (IRC)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200

Sunday, May 4
The Wind of Anatolia
Enjoy a concert that includes traditional, classical, and popular music from a faraway land.
2 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Auditorium)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200

Saturday, May 10
Author Talk with Leila Salloum Elias: “The Sweets of Araby: Enchanting Recipes from the Tales of the 1,001 Arabian Nights”
In her slide illustrated presentation, author Leila Salloum Elias discusses medieval Arabic cooking and sweets.
2:30 p.m.
Queens Library at Forest Hills
108-19 71 Avenue
718-268-7934

Sunday, May 11
Love Speaks: A Day of Art and Poetry from the Muslim World
Celebrate Mother’s Day by exploring the many facets of love through poetry performances, workshops, and artist demonstrations in the Islamic Art galleries, followed by a special Sunday at the Met reading and discussion with New York State Poet Marie Howe, renowned poet and editor Kazim Ali, and Columbia University scholar Frances Pritchett. Get free general admission to The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 11 by presenting your Queens Library card. (One free general admission per cardholder.
1 - 4:30 p.m.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Ave (at 82 Street), Manhattan

Wednesday, May 14
Tales from Turkey and Turkish Marbled-Paper Bookmarks
Hear folktales from Turkey and then create beautiful bookmarks using a kid-friendly version of an ancient Turkish paper-marbling technique.  For children ages 6 -12.
4 p.m.
Children’s Library Discovery Center (Multi-Purpose Room)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Thursday, May 15
Recent Fictions: By and About Muslim Americans
Over the last several years, we have seen a rise in publication of fiction about Muslim Americans. Writer and Brooklyn College English Professor Moustafa Bayoumi will discuss this trend and talk about the opportunities and limitations of being a newly discovered cultural trend.
6:30 p.m.
Central Library (Auditorium)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
718-990-0700

Saturday, May 17

Song of the Reed: Rumi with Dr. Jawid Mojaddedi and Amir Vahab
Scholar and translator Jawid Mojaddedi discusses the 13th century Persian poet Rumi and the beauty of Rumi’s Masnavi: its folk tales, sacred history, entertaining stories and lessons, all written in rhyming couplets.  Also enjoy a performance of the poems set to music (in English and Persian) by distinguished composer and Persian classical performer Amir Vahab with his ensemble.
5 p.m.
Queens Library at Flushing (Auditorium)
41-17 Main Street
718-661-1200

Saturday, May 31
E-mails from Scheherazad: Poetry Reading and Talk with Poet Mohja Kahf
Mohja Kahf moved with her family from Syria and grew up in the Midwest. The similarities and differences in culture shape her poetry.
3 p.m.
Jackson Heights
35-51 81 Street
718-899-2500