Practical exercise
Write a five line poem: image, image, feeling, question, image
A poem is not a song you cannot sing; it is a small machine that holds attention. Today you will build one with a fixed five line shape: line one an image, line two another image, line three a feeling, line four a question, line five a final image. Five lines, no rhyme required, no meter required. Faiz, Munir Niazi, and Parveen Shakir all wrote in this kind of compressed shape sometimes. You will too, in both Urdu and English.
Now try it
Write a five line poem: image, image, feeling, question, image
Stretch
Read both versions aloud to one trusted person and ask which line landed best. Often it is line 4 (the question). Notice that and use that lesson next time.
Goes into your portfolio
A single page with both versions of your five line poem (English and Urdu Nastaliq), titled with the moment it came from, and a one sentence note at the bottom on which line you are proudest of and why.