poet, author, creative writing teacher
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Threads of Palestine Anthology: Weaving Words of Witness
Available for purchase here.
(Please do not buy on Amazon!)
Quarter Life Crisis
Available for purchase here.
(Please do not buy on Amazon!)
(w)holehearted: a collection of poetry and prose [2nd edition]
Available on: Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble
About
Sara Bawany is an award-winning poet, two-time author, clinical social worker, and creative writing teacher based in Austin, TX. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with her Master’s in Social Work and her Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Islamic Studies. She is currently a third-year Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing student at Texas State University with a concentration in poetry, while also exploring creative nonfiction.
Sara is the Lead Writing Instructor at House of Amal, which is an institution to empower and support Muslim writers, while also teaching craft. She has a small freelance editing business that aims to strengthen writers who seek her assistance, while simultaneously making her a better writer and reader. Sara is also the Managing Editor of Porter House Review, Texas State University’s online literary journal, and co-manages 3rd Culture Collective, which is an artist collective based in Austin that hosts open mics and artist workshops.
Sara's first poetry book was self-published in September 2018: “(w)holehearted: a collection of poetry and prose” and won Daybreak Press Publishing’s 2019 “Best Poetry Book” award. Her second book was published with FlowerSong Press in October 2023, titled “Quarter Life Crisis”, with one of the poems nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She curated and co-edited her first anthology with House of Amal called “Threads of Palestine” with 100% of the proceeds going to charity.
Sara was also selected as a finalist in Button Poetry’s 2021 Annual Chapbook Contest. Her work has been featured twice on TEDx, ACLU TX, The Texas Observer, Infrarrealista Review, Muslim Youth Musings literary magazine and more, including Seventh Wave Magazine, who also nominated one of her poems for a 2024 Pushcart Prize. She has spoken and performed at more than 100 different engagements both in her social work capacity and as a poet. When not writing, teaching or editing, she works with clients as a licensed mental health therapist through her own private practice.
You can learn more about her work at www.sarabawany.com.
What I’ve been up to
11/17/2023 - The Houston Book Launch was through Generaction Jam’s monthly artist gathering and hosted several local businesses, local artists and organizations as vendors. This was the last leg of the Texas book tour.
11/05/2023 - The Dallas Book Launch was healing and community-centered. Taking place after a large protest, we hosted a panel discussion by local activists, attorneys, and writers, read some poems, and had an open mic at the end.
10/29/2023 - The Austin Book Launch was the first launch event for Quarter Life Crisis and was a beautiful success. We read poems about grief, activism, Palestine, and attendees participated by writing their own poems and engaging in a group prayer.
My SECOND poetry collection - Quarter Life Crisis was published on October 22, 2023. Buy your copy at this link!
I am a certified Journal to the Self instructor through the Center for Journal Therapy. This is a 12-hour course that teaches attendees various ways to journal to produce therapeutic outcomes. More info here.
I’ve joined House of Amal as the Lead Writing Instructor! I lead the Critique Circles for several membership groups, as well as teach our 12-month Writing Residency program. Join us and let’s explore the craft of writing together!
Praise for Quarter Life Crisis
Quarter Life Crisis is a Muslim woman's chronology of poems regarding the moral and spiritual dilemmas in the very troubled world around us. In her succinct & explicit showcase of some of humanity's ugliest problems, Bawany evaluates herself and the issues at hand through the lens of the mind, the ego and the soul. As she actively unravels herself into utter vulnerability in the burning world, the reader can’t help but to reflect, wrestle, and reconcile with her. This is a poetry collection for activists, for those in spiritual crisis, for those overwhelmed by the world, and for anyone who wants an honest story about heaviness, humility and hope.
- Amal Kassir, international award-winning spoken word poet
With this rich and storied collection from Sara Bawany, we join the poet in her struggle to balance the weight of youth and adulthood, inheritance and choice, tradition and questions. This beautiful collection carries us from the poet’s ancestral homeland and into Texas, bringing forward the voices of her family and their lessons with her, all of it woven together with delicate prayers.
Marked with powerful narratives and elegant poetics throughout, Sara’s voice emerges with strength and tenderness as she determines toward her own understandings.
- Suzi Q. Smith, author of A Gospel of Bones
Sara Bawany’s Quarter Life Crisis is the perfect poetic salve for any reader. Bawany is inventive and intentional with form as she lays bare not only personal crisis, but the crisis of dying american empire.
From faith to family and everywhere in between, Bawany’s subject matter is written with compassion and activism at its heart. Bawany is a voice we need in poetry now more than ever.
- SG Huerta, author of Last Stop
ask me
how many times
life broke me
and i will tell you
why
i'm a poet.
- (w)holehearted: a collection of poetry and prose
Follow my journey!
