The Unintened Anthology

ebook

By Alisha Shaikh

cover image of The Unintened Anthology

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I never set out to write this book, much less to publish it. These poems began as scattered thoughts, fragments of emotion, and fleeting reflections scribbled in notebooks or whispered to myself in unguarded moments. Over time, they formed a pattern I hadn't expected—a journey of small accidents and quiet discoveries that gradually revealed themselves as something whole. Each poem carries its own mood: some are raw and unfiltered, born from sudden waves of feeling; others are lighter, whimsical, or contemplative, shaped by passing sparks of thought. Together, they wander through the terrain of joy, longing, confusion, solitude, and reflection. They are not meant to be perfect, nor to claim any grand place in literature. Their strength lies in their honesty, in their willingness to capture emotions at the very moment they surfaced. For me, poetry has always been less about polish and more about presence—the attempt to hold onto the fragile beauty of what it feels like to simply be alive.

In gathering these unintended words, I realized that even unplanned expressions can carry weight, resonance, and meaning. The ordinary often holds extraordinary power: the quiet pause, the unfinished thought, the subtle ache of memory—all of these can speak as loudly as grand declarations. These poems stand as reminders that literature does not always need to be carefully constructed to matter; sometimes it is the raw, unrefined voice that connects most deeply. My hope is that within these pages you may find echoes of your own experience, fragments that stir recognition, or lines that linger unexpectedly. This collection was never meant to exist, yet here it is—an offering shaped by accidents and silences. It is a testament to the idea that some of the most enduring expressions are those that arrive without intention, reminding us that honesty, even in its simplest form, has the power to endure.

The Unintened Anthology