Ah Old Harley Street, If Only You could Speak
Where art thou? With All Thy Grace and Treat
Where evening cool breeze would gently sweep
And the open spaces would be free and neat;
Where I learned to ride the bicycle and Greet
My friends who came out to meet-
Ah Harley Street! where art thou?
With memories sweet-
This same road where bell tingling tongas
With strong horses and shining leather reins
Would lift the learning loads and stay on the beat-
At that time, this same road was all for residents
No sounds, not even an innocent lambs bleat.
Ah Harley Street! where art thou?
So defiant in dilapidated defeat!-
YOU seem to be there still serving in retreat-
Though gone is the tar rubble crush and concrete;
Ah Harley Street . All is not lost.
Courage never to submit or yield-
YOU have the BEST on YOU
YOU are replete with –Institutes of Education
Tuition Guidance and Dedication-
But AH there’s the rub-
The cuts craters humps and dilapidation-
OH Lord, what are WE learning and teaching
in this precarious condition? That is the question-
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer,
the slings and jumps of outrageous travel
The heart aches and
thousand natural shocks that the flesh is heir to-
Or to take arms against oceans of ditchy trouble..err. rubble-
And by appealing begging imploring
“Please Sir , may we have some more” Ah No!
Or by opposing clean sweep them….?
Who would bear the whips and scorns of time immemorial
The laws delay, the repairs astray, the rains decay ; AH SILENCE!
Do we continue to grunt and sweat under a weary life?
Or has conscience made cowards of us all?
AH Harley Street! If only you could speak'
OH Fair Poetess, soft you now , Ah There’s The Bump..OUCH…..
Ohhhhhh Cantonment …’Who’s There?????????
7 comments:
A lot of goings-on at Harley St. A very interesting history to unravel. Nicely Anjum!
Hank
has conscience made cowards of us? interesting...is it conscience or a hope to save our own skin? what do we teach indeed...i wonder what that street could share as far as stories...and learning
There is or rather used to be a posh Harley Street in Rawalpindi (I960s)where prominent personalities had their residences. The large houses were gradually sold.Now there are many schools on Harley Street...some Academies Coaching Centers and offices...
Thank you kaykuala
Thanks for the explanation about Harley Street - it sounds like a street stepped in history - and stories!
Welcome Sherry It was called the 'richman;s street' . Families shifted to the capital city Islamabad when it was built in 1964-Pakistan's capital was changed from Karachi to Islamabad.
interesting. some streets fall into neglect, some become expensive real estate.
there are some interesting imagery you wrote in the poem. :)
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