{"product_id":"lastfi","title":"Last of the Letters, by Fatima Ijaz","description":"\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePoetry, chapbook, 24 pages, from \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"color: #2b00ff;\"\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/collections\/bottlecap-features\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/collections\/bottlecap-features\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBottlecap Features\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe chapbook \u003cem\u003eLast of the Letters\u003c\/em\u003e questions the reality of what marks an end to an ongoing conversation between two people. In a series of 16 unsent, unanswered letters it asks whether the end is really the end. If closure comes with just breaking off physical contact, then these letters are wayward, pointless. However, in a scenario where there is no emotional closure, but the physical realm has been sealed off, where do the residue conversations go? The unsaid, the undeclared, that which was held back – how do all these conversations simmer inside someone?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThese letters are then a distant conversation that is still taking place in the universe somewhere. They carry the belief that perhaps there still might be a possible meeting point! They hold the sensation of losing someone midway – when all that could be said, was not said. Thus, these letters acquire an after-life and hover on the horizon as question-marks. They are rendered in poetic prose first, and then in free verse poetry to mirror the attempt to hold on to reality which nevertheless disintegrates into an undying emotional whirlpool. Last of all, these are good bye letters and intuit a release and a letting go. There comes a time when this becomes not just easy but necessary, absolute.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFatima Ijaz is a Karachi poet, who has recently received her Master in English and Media Studies (2024) from Rutgers University, where she was also teaching English to first year undergrads. Her poetry book, \u003cem\u003eThe Shade of Longing\u003c\/em\u003e, was published by The Little Book Company in December 2021. Previously, she was teaching English and Speech at The Institute of Business Administration (IBA). Contributing editor at \u003cem\u003ePandemonium Journal\u003c\/em\u003e, she is an English BA from Hartwick College, USA and York University, Canada and she also holds an English Linguistics MA from Eastern Michigan University, USA. Her poetry and short stories have been published in numerous publications including \u003cem\u003eKyoto Journal\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eIdeas\u0026amp;Futures\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Missing Slate\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eUnbroken Journal\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eAleph Review\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eTales from Karachi\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Write Launch\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRigorous and the Bombay Review\u003c\/em\u003e. She was a poetry reader and panelist at Karachi Literature Festival (2020 - 2022), Bradford Literature Festival (2022) and Quetta Literary Festival (2022). She writes on culture and literature in \u003cem\u003eNaya Daur\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Friday Times\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDawn\u003c\/em\u003e. Her memoir was longlisted for the Zeenat Haroon Rashid Writing Prize 2022. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fatima Ijaz","offers":[{"title":"Chapbook","offer_id":49269482684731,"sku":"LASTFI","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (PDF)","offer_id":49269482717499,"sku":"LASTFIe","price":7.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0062\/4420\/4614\/files\/lettersfront.png?v=1723246314","url":"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/products\/lastfi","provider":"Bottlecap Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}