Poetic duels are found worldwide across cultures and times, with vibrant traditions throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. The Afghan tradition is called “sheyr jangi,” or “poetry fighting,” and has its roots in the early medieval Central Asian Courts. Tonight, we pay homage to this tradition—but with a twist. We have curated a “deck” of poems by classical poets writing in Arabic, Persian, Turkic, and Urdu. With our audience’s help, we invite our featured poets to battle with these literary ancestors on the theme of Gender and Power.

With poets Majda Talal Gama, Rami Karim, Aurora Masum-Javed, Sham E-Ali Nayeem and Purvi Shah. Moderated by Sahar Muradi and Zohra Saed.

Produced in association with Ping Chong + Company and City Lore.

Dixon Place: 161 Chrystie St, New York, New York 10002