Listening Against the Threshold of Pain

The poem Listening Against the Threshold of Pain was written by Uzma Falak, who served as SAPIENS’ 2025 poet-in-residence. The poem reflects her experiences during and after fieldwork in Kashmir and Germany, blending personal and cultural observations. SAPIENS, a magazine dedicated to anthropology, published the poem as part of its final year of new content before closing its publishing chapter. The poem is categorized under Wayfinding, a section of SAPIENS that explores themes of navigation, both literal and metaphorical, in human experiences.

The poem centers on the concept of listening as a form of resistance and survival. Falak uses listening to describe how people endure pain, whether physical, emotional, or political, by tuning into sounds that might otherwise be ignored or suppressed. The phrase threshold of pain refers to the point at which pain becomes unbearable, but the poem suggests that listening can push beyond this limit. Falak situates her work in Kashmir, a region with a long history of conflict, and Germany, where she conducted part of her fieldwork. The poem explores how sound and silence shape human experiences in these contexts.

Uzma Falak is both an anthropologist and a poet, and her work bridges these two disciplines. Her fieldwork in Kashmir involved recording sounds and listening to the voices of people living in a conflict zone. The poem reflects her process of turning these recordings and observations into artistic expression. Anthropology is the study of humans, their societies, and cultures, while poetry uses language to evoke emotions and ideas. Falak’s dual role highlights how art and science can intersect to deepen our understanding of human experiences.

Kashmir is a region in South Asia, currently divided between India and Pakistan, with a history of political conflict and militarization. Germany, where Falak also conducted fieldwork, is a country in Central Europe known for its historical and cultural significance. The poem juxtaposes these two locations to explore how pain and resilience manifest differently in each place. Kashmir’s context of conflict provides a backdrop for themes of endurance and resistance, while Germany offers a contrasting setting where Falak reflects on her role as an outsider.