When Language Left Me
When Language Left Me contains poems all written after Farzana’s 2015 stroke in Afghanistan, which left her with aphasia (loss of language, not intellect). They are poems she fought hard to create, wrestling with her brain to get each word out. Many of these poems testify to and illustrate that struggle, as well as the pain of living a life she did not choose but is determined to redeem. She is a survivor AND triumpher!
When Language Left Me is the story–her story–captured in verse, of the journey she has been on post-stroke to rewire her brain and regain the ability to communicate and express herself with words and with humor. 😀
But it’s not just her story. It’s many people’s story. She wrote this book as much for herself as she did for the people who most need to read it–people who deeply need to feel less alone in their pain.
About the Author: Farzana Marie is a poet, writer, artist, and stroke survivor.
She received her PhD from the University of Arizona, with a focus on Persian Literature and a minor in Creative Writing. She also has an MA in English Literature from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a BS in Humanities from the US Air Force Academy. Her poetry and translations have appeared in numerous print and online journals.
Farzana served on active duty in the US Air Force for 10 years, including two consecutive years deployed in Afghanistan (where she had previously served as a civilian volunteer at a Kabul orphanage).
Presently, she is in the planning phase of The Soul of Language Museum, an immersive multi-sensory experience, to be located in New Mexico, where she lives with her husband and daughter. She is also writing her memoir.
More at: www.farzanamarie.com
