Kazim Ali

Kazim Ali was born to Indian parents who moved to Pakistan following the Partition .From there they moved to London, where the author was born, and eventually to Winnipeg. His father was an engineer and was hired to work on a hydro electric plant in northern Manitoba. They, and some members of their greater family, lived in a settlement of pre-fab houses among the members of the Pimichipamuk community. This is a unique memoir weaving in his childhood connection to the land and the ecological repercussions of the dam. The loss of stream habitat and silt build- up affected the whole food chain resulting in the loss of fishing and hunting. The author befriended and interviewed many Indigenous people and relates their ongoing struggles with issues such as trying to get a hospital built.. Kazim is an able writer and researcher. In addition to having a deep attachment to this area he also has a knack for introducing the people of Cross Lake and their challenging lives. I was lucky to somehow have stumbled upon this book.… (meer)

Kazim Ali's collection of poetry are shaped by their own growth and search for meaning. Though often in fragments or snippets rather than any classical form, their have shape and are accessible as they are rich in an eloquence that is often epigrammatic:

"When a Scholar pauses by a closed door
She may not be listening to the music, but to the door"

"Carry what you can in your hands. Scatter the rest."

There is a humble humanity and a deep compassion in Ali's words. As mush as this collection reflects the diaspora of language and people in our post-post-Modern world, there is hope and a sense of the unity of being:

"Then the gray-green sky came down in breaths to my lips and sipped me."

… (meer)

This book was a small glimpse into one person's spiritual practice, but was hugely spiritual itself. I am not a Muslim (or anything for that matter), but the practice of fasting, and reflections on life and God were expressed beautifully. Ali is a fantastic writer, and his insight into humanity and spirituality is great. He has a strong control of language, using metaphor and description with a great effect. Meditative and flowing, it was a beautiful read.

I felt uplifted and spiritually fed after reading Fasting for Ramadan, and will definitely go back to it in the future.… (meer)