Layl Ash-Shayr 2

About the Programme

Layl Ash-Shayr, which loosely translates to "Poetry Night", is an open-mic and spoken word event for Muslim writers in Singapore to share their work and engage with fellow creatives.

For every session, we will try to invite 1-2 featured guests to share their work and, in doing so, hopefully inspire budding writers. We will also open up the stage for 5 open-mic slots for emerging voices in the SG Muslim literary scene to perform, gain experience and network with other fellow writers. Ultimately, we hope to build a network of Muslim writers who can support one another in their literary journeys.

IN-PERSON EVENT

Date: 10 August 2023 (Thursday)
Time: 7.45pm to 9.30pm
Venue: Wardah Books

Free event, but registration is compulsory.

Register here: Click to register

About the Open-Mic

We are welcoming Muslim poets of any experience level, whether you’ve attended classes, published poems or have never let your poetry leave your notebook/smart phone, we want you! Here are some guidelines for you to follow:

• You will have 5 mins to perform any number of pieces.
• There is no set theme. Pick any topic for your piece!
• That said, please ensure religious sensitivity and tactfulness when addressing sensitive topics, and generally avoid using crude language in your poems. We may request poems to be swapped or partially edited to ensure they are suitable for our audience.
• Your poems can take any shape and form - be experimental about it! Just let us know in advance should you need tech/equipment support.
• Non-English poems or poems with snippets of other languages can be performed, but we do request you provide an English translation (whether read aloud or shared on screen/through a link!).
• Your poems can be previously published, living rent free in your head or written mere minutes prior!

About the Speakers

Fairuz Jaafar is Malay-Muslim desktop engineer by trade, and his body of work spans zine-making to short fiction and poetry. His most recent endeavours include a sold-out Malay- English poetry zine written with nine other writers titled Rambut Sama Hitam, and a programme on Malay poetry at the Singapore Writers Festival 2022.

Humairah is a teacher, book reviewer, reader, writer and poet. She has performed spoken word poetry in various public and school events. Her articles and poems have been published in various publications and websites. In 2019, she published her debut book of poems titled ‘Homebound’.

Click here to purchase Homebound.