How a deep emotional pride led an Omani writer to pen a book of poetry

Books are her friends, writing and cooking are her passions, and so it was natural for Fawziya al Maskiry author of the book ‘Tender Breeze’ to write a cookery book titled, ‘A Taste to Remember’. “Ever since school days, I had always been attracted to books, particularly books in poetry. I used to recite poetry in school competitions and had won prizes for it.  However, it was not until I arrived in Oman in 1974 that I began to actually put down my thoughts in paper.  I believe it was the beauty of the land that inspired me.  Subsequently, the enormity of the constructions and developments in every sphere in the country practically mesmerized me into a feeling of deep emotional pride and joy that led me into writing,” noted Fawziya. All these emotions were expressed in her book, ‘Tender Breeze’, published in 1996, and it turned out to be that she was the first Omani woman to publish poetry book in English. By November 2010, Fawziya had found a platform to express her patriotism with her next book, ‘A Leader with a vision’.  She dedicated the collection of poems to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos on the occasion of the 40th National Day of the Sultanate. “Through these poems, I wanted the whole world to know of our country, our progress and of our great pride towards our beloved leader,” noted Fawziya. Her poem titled ‘A Leader’s Vision’ goes like this: From under the shade of a tree He said we can learn Old and young Our Country’s future is his concern. Noble lessons indeed From our Sultan, we learn That we all must heed Keeping aside all greed To help those in need And make peace with all beings. Wise lessons we learn To sow the seeds Of love beyond creed For a nation so great Worthy of our Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Building our country From sand and stone Embracing windswept deserts To flourish, green Following the lessons of Our Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Reflecting on the years of renaissance she had personally experienced Fawziya wrote down in her book yet another poem titled ‘The Sultan Qaboos Rose.’ Renaissance of superlatives, an ecstasy Reminiscent of our days of glory The sultan’s dynasty Steeped in history of achievement, a legacy Shining through our Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The red rose, a sign of concern For nations to appreciate and discern A symbol of new initiatives And new beginnings Growing with confidence Hope and blossoming. The rose, a symbol of recognition Of our Sultan’s commitment To the enhancement of mankind And his environment. For Fawziya who received her education in Zanzibar and the United Kingdom, who worked at the Ministry of Information as Director of Liaison Department for ten years and at Omantel for another 17 years as a senior expert in Media and Information, it was a retirement that took her back to her passion — writing. As she reflected, she saw Oman as ‘Jewel of Arabia’: Long it did remain Little known to the world Until the renaissance came To reveal to all God’s blessings To this land Oman. A coastline of snowy sand That stretches for miles and miles Sparkling sea, crystal clear Expose below coral galore That dazzle and please the eye. The rugged mountains With frankincense fragrance The green joyful valleys Embraced by whispering palm trees Gently swaying in the scented breeze. Publishing her books were as important as conveying her admiration towards the leader and the land.  She believes any dream can be attained through motivation.  In addition to having the determination, the reason behind her success has been her three children Nahla, Nada and Dr Fahad along with her biggest supporter her late husband Hamed al Kindy. The jewel, Oman, must continue to shine and inspire many more and for readers who are going through the lines of Fawziya’s poems in the year 2020, they find tears flow easily as poems through our history have had a way of cherishing memories.