January 2019

Editor’s Note – Multiplicity Of Voices

FemAsia steps into a brand new year spreading its wings, soaring the sky, reaching new heights! We, at FemAsia, are really excited and committed to bringing more intense and thought-provoking content this year. I take this opportunity to thank our readers across

by Shameela Yoosuf Ali

Fictional Arts·Literature

My Little Singing Bird

My little singing bird Wherever I go I carry it within me Or rather it sits fluttering in my being As I sit down at my desk to dream away It takes me above the valleys of Anatolia Orange groves Strawberry

by Shameela Yoosuf Ali

Fictional Arts·Literature

Pygmalion

When they found me my eyes were tilted upwards towards the window towards the light. A policeman said it seemed as if I was looking for help — Well of course I was I had been looking for many, many years.

by Alexandra Heatwole

Fictional Arts·Literature

I wish

I wish I believed my mother when she said that there will be better days. That the sky isn’t the limit and I really can do anything if I set my mind to it. I wish I believed her when she

by Grace Wickremasinghe

Fictional Arts·Literature

All Of Me

All of me is nothing but a spark of fire Blowing all the lights in the darkness All of me is nothing but a ray of hope Running through the veins of an unknown soul All of me is nothing but

by Sheikh Aatif Tariq

Fictional Arts·Literature

Purple – Not Only the Colour

The colour reflects the psychology It reads the mind and spells the behaviour Your colour is purple; mine is blue Once, for your festival, you bought light blue It is, yes, colour influence. No doubt. With this influence-driven context, I fly

by Munas Kalden

Fictional Arts·Literature

Grief Is the Throne We All Sit On

The sound of snow in trees makes silence, makes the poem in my pocket sing through the holes, the loose change of angels, all those fallen lights into the world we came in on sound, the stranger cadence. of wave, and

by Anne Walsh

Fictional Arts·Literature

Habeus Corpus

I remember the last time my Mama held my hand tight in hers, as though she could never let it go – But she did, in the end, although that very morning in Uncle Sunil’s little house, she’d fed Angela and

by Sakuntala Sachinthanandan

Fictional Arts·Literature

The Salty Kiss

To not sing about the afternoon Is impossible. The one wandering the desert, his voice wringing with grief, is not the singer— in his path, marble tears of sunlight and patti flowers; The nectar’d voice from the mosque that calls one

by Cheran Rudhramoorthy

Fictional Arts·Literature

All The Doors

Of all the doors, You are the one who beckoned me. I stood there, staring at you Contemplating the silent view. I could hear the voices I could smell the fragrance I could feel the living Was it that I incarnated

by Gaana Rupini

Fictional Arts·Literature

Death Alone Is Immortal

A middle-aged man was hurrying along the road in that morning to reach his place of business as early as possible. “Oh, get lost! You bad omen.” He came to a halt seeing a few coffins which were displayed in front

by Shaji John

Empowerment

Autonomous Women’s Group Of Thessaloniki

KATINA MAGASINE 1985-1995 The Autonomous Women’s Group started its activity in 1985 in Thessaloniki, a city with a very vibrant student life and a lot of energy. Young women, mainly University students, who already had an active role in women’s matters,

by Roula

Holistic Health

Misadventures And Harm- A Surgeon’s Diary

All young professionals have expectations and aspirations to serve their nation when they begin their career. There will be ups and downs, frustrations, misunderstandings, misgivings and disappointments, distractions and even depression while trying to fulfil one’s career ambition, or also to

by KMC Abrew

Fictional Arts·Literature

Paired

I take off my gloves to pull my suitcase up the high steps onto the Tibet-bound train, then wheel my case down the aisle, hoist it into the overhead rack, help my family find seats, and there— out the window, as

by David Allen Sullivan

Fictional Arts·Literature

Revising The Unfruitful

Bloodstain on a white sheet confirmed my chastity the morning I woke up from the previous night’s pleasure. A year since then, and I wasn’t able to give a positive answer to my mother-in-law, who started to check up on me

by Nuha Faiz

Fictional Arts·Literature

Whispering Moon

Skies of shimmering gold And blue There is a garden among the Trees The dew on leaves of ivy fluttering Silently shading under the sunbeam A bird on a bough Playing the musical note on a flute: “I go where love

by Phoebe Gazi

Empowerment

Challenging The Lure Of Easeful Death

Suicide Awareness The high prevalence of suicide and attempted suicide in Sri Lanka. There is an epidemic of suicide around the world, and the age group identified as most at risk is the 15-29 demographic. In Sri Lanka, one person in

by Devika Brendon

Fictional Arts·Literature

Door to Door

There is nothing called a fine morning in a door to door salesperson life. Especially when it comes to saleswomen. She never enjoyed this job. If someone gives her the option to quit this job and start her career all over again,

by Anojan

Empowerment

Somebody I Know Was Stuck In Jackal Mode.

They were continuing to reiterate the details of their story. They were wanting others to commiserate and ‘hate the other person with them.’ They became angry when others disagreed or tried to guess their feelings and needs. And this went on

by Barbara J.L. O'Riordan

Fictional Arts·Literature

Oh Blessed one

O Blessed One, you appeared to me in my dreams By Dr Ujjwal Bikram Khadka. Buddha, O Blessed one you appeared to me in my dreams the other day Thank you, what can I say. Dream, oh yes, and what a dream

by Ujjwal Bikram Khadka

Politics & Culture

Us And Them -The Heady Elixir Of Power

I began with the idea of writing a piece about the ongoing male versus female struggle. The idea was generated when #Metoo was so quickly hijacked by males to further their own agendas. Women who had reported serious breaches of behaviour from

by Sharon Rundle

Politics & Culture

When Conservative Fantasies Run Into Reality.

“Conservatism is the blind and fear-filled worship of dead radicals”. Mark Twain In order to reform the Muslim society in Sri Lanka, all the madrasas which endlessly produce lame-brained Moulavis should be reformed. This is one of the epidemics which rigorously

by Farhan Wahab

Fictional Arts·Literature

If Wallets Were Skirts

Sir, where exactly were you when the alleged offence took place? Ah, and would you agree – as outlined in earlier expert testimony – that this is a dark street? Thank you – and were you alone at the time? And –

by Anne Casey

Fictional Arts·Literature

Incomparable

A girl I know fell in love with the first boy she kissed. She told me all about it, in a darkened bar a few days ago. She was innocent, and ignited; ravenous and heartbroken. She said she had asked him

by Devika Brendon

Food & Travel

Marvellous Childhood Games Of Our Times

When we try to figure out childhood games, the games that mostly come to mind are those from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. It is the pre-digital era where unique childhood games were favourite among children instead of computer games. When

by Mohammed Lafir

Fictional Arts

What Is Lost And What Remains

I spent several weeks in the North of Sri Lanka last year. I travelled through five districts in search of stories that would encompass a film and body of photography to support research carried out by the International

by Natalie Soysa

Suggestions