Book: Taqism

Author: Zaid Shlah

Publisher: Frontenac House (www.frontenachouse.com)

Style: Poetry

Published: 2006

Pages: 88

ISBN: 1-897181-08-06

$15.95 CDN 

3 ½ Stars 

Reviewed By: Kindah Mardam Bey 

Taqism is an insightful and complex book of poetry rooted in tradition and yet branching out into the new and unknown. Zaid Shlah’s first compiled book of poetry seems to have a great deal of impact at present, as it appears to be a book of poetry on the subject of Iraq and Canada, without the discussion of politics. Yes! This can be done, believe it or not!

Instead of political perspective, what Taqism explores is the nature of culture and the beauty within it; lots of references to food, music, literature and language. Taqism is almost a romantic quest for culture, bordering somewhere between Canada and Iraq. The term ‘Taqism’ is a Middle Eastern medley where the musicians free flow between structured music and improvisation. Shlah has brilliantly attempted this form meant for music, but put towards poetry with captivating results; the poems are almost palatable….. 

Pg. 21

‘sipping comfortably, mid-speech – Arabic

gutturals and rolling R’s moved through shoulders

and eyebrows, arms and fingers moved as fish

might at sea; how they seemed like their jewelry

formed from the earth, like their words

over time; their language pressed into

their skin.’ 

In a turbulent time in history for relations between the Middle East and North America, Shlah seems to have found the beauty in both cultures and found commonality among them. Shlah does more with his poetry than self-expression; he seems to relieve a tension that sadly thickens the air. A delicious first book of poetry!