Thursday, October 30, 2014

For Dverse Poets Pub ~ Poetics – War Poetry ~ A POW’s Thoughts ~ Returning Safely from Battlefield ~




I am beside you once again
Now be it sun storm or rain,
Sorrow and fear are away, afar,
Happiness floods me gone is the pain
Of loneliness , peaceful is the soul;
chains of captivity broken at last
How wonderful, how precious  feels
The sweet breath of freedom;
Home...
Home again, among love and care
Ah! Home is something very rare!
With thanks to Allah, I bow, low,
Bless me Oh Lord ! to you I pray,
Give me courage to defend my land
If need arises, and duty calls, any day.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

For POETS UNITED ~ Midweek Motif ~ Halloween or Celebrating the Dead ~ One Night in Nottingham in October 2003 ~



I heard a step outside the window, 
and smelt a whiff of scented tobacco
I thought at first that it was imagination
 or the work of spirits or Hallucination-

I stopped to think, afraid of what I may see
It may be a fairy or the silent stealthy kitty 
knocking something accidentally- 

But then I slowly moved the curtain 
again I heard the sound I was certain. 

And then I saw him,
on some spiral  stairs
a man slightly bald
thin in physique holding 
the staircase railing 
with fear, waiting to gather 
his strength so weak
step by step holding the stick, 
tightly  showing a phase 
of  life in the age,
loneliness and infirmity,
helplessness sympathy,pity, 

another step, 
another clang, 
another year, 
another question, 
would he be alive , 
the next moment 
what if he falls? 

why is he alone 
what figure of skin n bone, 
of breath and breath , 
of body of stone,

what thoughts in the cold ,
what step or steps so bold, 
what the heart may hold 
Or what the heart may seek? 

Can one call or feel,or wait-
or walk so straight, 
up the stairs or down
like the two pointed ladder 
and all the apple picking, 
Has he done the barrel filling? 

He stepped down the last
and I stepped back, 
I waited for a while 
but no sound came 
Why life is silently
 lonely for some?

 I looked around, 
I too was alone-
Time ticked,
second by second. 
No one was with me 
and I thought
Maybe soon I too
would  be,
thin physique 
skin and bone
maybe, surely alone , 
maybe not, maybe?


With these thoughts 
I put down the broom with 
which I was cleaning the room
switched off the music 
then again I saw,
a man, outside the window
looking inside,eyes unblinking
thin pale face 
body clad in
a long overcoat
in silence he stood and 
looked and looked...

minutes seemed frozen hours

later......
'Mom, 
I guess the owner of
this old council house,
you have seen
died 60 years ago,
happy to see you clean
the room where he must 
have sat 
and watched
the outside scene...

Son,  was it a ...spirit...a ghost...then...
He smiled
Oh Mom ! just pray no harm they mean
remember it is the time 
the night of Halloween' 

......
in silence I made a firm decision
I would never ever complain 
about the stairs in the house again.

CER Copyright anjum wasim dar 2014   

  

Friday, October 24, 2014

For Magpie Tales ~ Mag 242 ~ Why I keep forgetting the face?



Why I keep forgetting the face?
I see the vision the presence the grace-

Exhausted in  surgery, half dead
unthinking sleeping mind
surrendering to other hands, eyes
and knives, busy on my clayey
lodgings, removing what lay
inside, a life, to give lives unseen
unknown,obeying the divine
Creator,creating motherhood-

Now I see now it is not there
I see the vision and the grace-

My eyes only saw eyes,
reflecting sympathy concern care
Chosen by The Supreme to help me
live, a little more, someone needs
my share of love, a little more, a duty
for  me is still to be done, and I have
to be with one who stands beside
a smile a gloved hand a voice soft
a heart learning for years, how to cure
now ready for sure, more friends than
real friends ashore,

Once again I see from under the slab
under the leaves, from under the soil-

Mother Dear,your lifeless head I held 
almost in my lap,as 'they washed the body'
then clothed in white the color you liked
we laid you under the heavy stone -
covered with leaves and grass
we placed red flowers on the space,yet
more with Earth, half buried is the place-

Why I keep forgetting the face?
I remember the love comfort and grace-

Mother, its you I see, I feel in her, she
touched cleaned cut and stitched
came again and again and again
when I was stiff n senseless in pain
I felt a hand,and heard a voice
twenty minutes more
a voice…calm, a look angel like…
fear left me, then there was peace, 

I felt a hand on my forehead
Yes, yes, Mother you were there…
All the time, with love and prayer...

And I saw You,in her face...
Oh Doctor,do we have time in life ?
have we really won the race?

Copyright CER anjum wasim dar 2014

For ~ SIX Word Saturday ~ Tests and Protests


Tests protests pretexts investigations all around 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

For POETS UNITED ~ Midweek Motif ~ One Day in the Life of ... ~ 'In This Age ...


Its a new day every day `

 routines change with time 



Closed doors pin drop silence
Raise the blinds let the light in
Electricity ? off again
Long trek to the kitchen –
Down the stairs, in
the age  of ' maintenance
and repairs’
‘ its his heart’ and my knee’
Slowly now if you slip
Who will rub away the pain?
An hour gone water boils-
Tea and cereal is all the toil’
Nothing else is, but sitting
Reading by 'laptop' and knitting

meditation more than five, follow
‘Guidance’ for life, how to stay alive-
Today is rest from any cooking, I
Wish to eat some spicy recipe'
Doctor forbids 'not to swallow'

So am just sitting and looking
Half the day Scrabbled away-
Half the day in waiting-
something cooked 'might be coming…
kids n daughter maybe bringing'...

Gone are the days when days were days
Laughter music company and ‘plays’
Life slowly moves to such a station
When ‘humph’ uh’ ah’ and what?
Is all - the day’s conversation.

then of course ...
there are moments of sad isolation
tablets,syrup a'must medication',but 
All in a day is all  quiet and peaceful
Life is kind -I try to be fully grateful; 

Happiness and to be happy is an art 
let the heart  joyful friendship,radiate
let it not be obnubilated and solemn
let the spirit be free and delight create;

                                                            Copyright anjum wasim dar 2014










Sunday, October 19, 2014

For POETS UNITED ~ Poetry Pantry #223 ~ So Let's Be Poets for a While ~

so 
let’s be poets for a while-
let truth and trust prevail
for
can a link joined in heaven, break ?
can the Earth without His Will shake?
there need not be a number as
talking takes place  even in slumber;
so 
let’s be poets for a while-
one does
feel a presence, do not fear, the eye
does drop a tear, know it is just fair
so let’s be poets for a while-
when the heart sings the birds sing
Such joy and peace  they bring,
For
 they can see the smile
And carry it over on their wings
Nature’s love makes serene,
from sadness and sorrow , free-
so 
let’s be poets for a while
let truth and trust prevail

Copyright CER  anjum wasim dar 2014


For SEPIA SATURDAY ~ Guavas on a Bicycle


Selling Stuff on bicycles is an old and common tradition in the Indo Pak Subcontinent.

A Fruit seller with his cycle shop near the Capital City Islamabad Pakistan 

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Remembering in Response to Brenda's Wordle ~ Fallen Marvels ~


What Greater Expectations than
Great Expectations,
Miss Havisham,
embedded secluded, on dusty
wooden gilded throne,
behind cobwebbed curtains,
Majestic Marvel, First Created,
Sacred, now rests transfixed 
in false reprehensions,
As scattered clouds scan
and search terrestial to
celestial dimensions 
blinking intermittant flashes
Only to find twisted torments
blood filled swamps,
whirring swarms of discontents
amidst seas of colorfully placed flowers, 
Supreme Sopranos burnt to ashes.

wordle 14                                                  
                     Copyright CER anjum wasim dar 2014

Thursday, October 16, 2014

~ Each Time Each Step I Take ~



each time each step I stop to turn away 
each time each step turns me, to stay-
each step I take to stay away-
each step slides me more to 'the way'
 I try to harden my tender emotions
I try to be strong with mixed potions
each time I mix  it does not work 
each step takes me closer to 'the notions’
why its only me that moves each time
Why nothing stirs on the other side-
Each day I pray maybe perhaps today 
Changed will be my path changed 
Will be the way , my way, the way 
Each day each morning bright or grey-

I find my steps taking me with 
a gift of my soul a ‘rose’-
Your Way….

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

For POETS UNITED ~ Midweek Motif ~ Trees ~ Hercynian Forest Tree Poetry Session ~

                                 
For this week's  Motif  of Trees and the question 'what was/is a tree to you? Is there one you miss or wish to meet someday? I take the opportunity to share a Tree Poetry Session being held somewhere in the Mysterious Hercynian Forest 



Madam Red Hood began her Introductory Speech 

     'Gentle Trees Leaves Branches Trunks and Roots,
 It is with great pencil pleasure that I am rooted here to open before you the cuts and streaks , chinks and bars, splits and splinters , shavings and bits of the strangest poetic expressions you would ever have pencil heard in your wooden life.
What happens with trees and their growing strengths, colors, parts and logs will be unraveled expressed and waved here today

Nature Speaks to Us-I believe 

Messages, silently to perceive
Time to Pray and not to grieve
Begin  Gratitude and Receive


Let the Tree Poetry Begin
I now present to you with great pencil grace…

Our Leading Lead Poet No 1PL...

1PL began the recitation...

I love trees and often watch and
 stand by them once I…,
I plucked a leaf and made a whistle
I plucked another and breathed
in  the sweet scent of oranges
I smiled at so many
fluttering on the trees-
                                                                      
I crushed one fallen by the breeze,
and raked away so many,
and he said 'they mess up the yard-
I said 'they have made me a bard'
I admire the tree as 
it will by me stand
he will never look up
to see how tall it is,
how grand, if you look 
at the spoils
you will never understand
what is Gods Will ,and
the Beauty of His Land-

 Applause....'well said'some giggles were heard then all was pencil silent...

Madam RedHood called 
2PL Begin please....


Well, I present my tree poem... 
Nature gave us honey bees ….
Nature gave us milky cheese
Nature gave us so much ease
Nature gave us enriched Trees
We grow up with them
play in up around them
sit share under the shade
fruit eaten, cut to burn them
can we really imagine the pain
we cause trees for our gains ?
'T is a loss, for see, here is, what is
taken away and what remains -?

A hush fell on the gathering...after a few tense seconds...

3PL please present your poem ~

Oh well, I may say
Trees planted rarely or
profusely  some sparsely
in unreal decorative pots
Growing branches spreading
shade, light and dark
cut brutally cruelly
entangled quietly naturally
ever in service nobility
silently suffering cuts...

Madam Red Hood spoke seriously,' Ah well, good tree thoughts...though rather ...er...short...and now I would like to share my views on the most wondrous amazing creation of Nature, we all love as Poet Rumi  writes:

'Every tree and plant seemed to be dancing in love with the trees' 
And so here are my thoughts ~ A Hopeful Prayer ~ 
To 'Sidra -tul-Muntaha, The Lotus Tree...


Tree Tree Tree
O Sacred Tree'
where art thou
I wish to see
Up high in Heaven
you are
I can only reach there
 if I were a pure star
Tree Tree Tree
He  made thee
For The Best in many
Tree Tree Tree,
Where shall I be 
In time to eternity
If I plant thee ?

Will you take me?
O my dear Tree
If only you could fly
Up in the sky
I would never cry
But climbing on you
Would be a try
To reach  up  high
Tree Tree Tree
Teach me to read
And gain the speed
To be the best
Never to be at rest
To be good and fair
And to love and care, to
Reach Heaven up there’


 The poetry session continued  later in the afternoon...as darkness grew darker and the shadows vanished...forests have secrets and Hercynian Forest also had one, someone was hiding among the trees waiting for the right moment to...
                                                                               ©    anjum wasim dar  2014


Tree Poetry Session shared from the Novel Pencileeze Hall Forest Mystery
Author A W Dar
(unpublished-NANOWRIMO Winner 2012)                                  

Monday, October 13, 2014

For POETS UNITED ~ Poetry Pantry #222 ~ The Last Glance at a Young Martyr ~




The Last Glance was time itself
as all have to go -they go
the body is taken, lifted and lowered
scriptures spoken and flowers showered
before that not a morsel can be eaten
as food is no longer needed by the taken,
all eyes are on the body so laid
fear in the eyes, tears on the face
this is a war bloody and barbarian
young old brave and bold,
all are shaken-

I too stepped in the cold room 
as close as I could and 
shivered and sweated as I stood-
silence so Holy above you I felt
Eternal sleep to the world around-
Freedom from the clayey cage
To a Higher Call a Higher Ground
The Chosen the Special the Best-
Heavenly Light enclosed as you slept
dressed in white complete shroud
You were under  Heaven’s cloud
In peace -may your soul always rest, 

 amen-




Sunday, October 12, 2014

For Imaginary Garden With Real Toads ~ Sunday's Mini-Challenge: Eugenio Montale ~ A Distance Divides Us ~



 a distance divides us
life like a  deep dark well reflects ignorant fear 
as  parched listless bodies await their turn
which can is mine each thinks as up they rise
in a line, now they are full now empty 
dropping water as it collects -they say
a distance divides us

sky is filled with shining stars 'bejeweled for
 pleasure of all mankind,each in its own orbit
twinkling sparkling shooting falling 
shine through the night giving company
showing the way, stay till day, and say
a distance divides us

how can we know by just seeing a face
how much truth there is how much grace
one rejects faith one shares love - may
seem a sinning killer from above, 
intimacy in suspicion,breaks all space

leaves a void-a vision, to say
a  distance divides us

                                                                   © anjum wasim dar 2014

  
Inspired By the Poem 
The Well
By Eugenio Montale 
(Cigola la carrucola del pozzo)
The pulley of the well-shaft creaks,
water rises to the light and dissolves you.
A memory trembles in the refilled pail,
an image smiles in its pure circle.
Touch your face to evanescent lips:
the past wavers, grows old,
belongs to another…
Ah, how the wheel groans
already, returns you to the dark depths,
vision, a distance divides us.

For ~ Magpie Tales ~ Mag 241 ~ Confused Understanding ~ Captured Freedom ~


Can  image be different
 from reflection
or be understood from 
 verbal reaction 
 what words may write 
what thoughts show -
be true, if silence stares,
though with a smile,
same style,
transfixed in fetters
seeing through shutters-
confined in fashion
forced by suppression
what lies beyond the veil
what does cam- eye reveal?

accused by fears
undefined,brought to tears
unseen,chided for actions
unperformed, for sincerity
blamed unsafe sinner?

Natures multiple views
'exposures of skillful forms
despite restraints constraints
taboos insane laws 'n norms

Behold Beauty bright
in natural or artificial Light,
 to the left,at the back, 
in the center, to the right, 
Capture these moments free
Write,record,recite,rewrite'







Thursday, October 9, 2014

For POETS UNITED ~ Midweek Motif ~ Exploring ~ I Walked on Pages ~



I walked on pages of literary history
and discovered poetry
I stepped on the stages of mystery
and discovered imagery
I gazed at the rages of fiery flames
and discovered slavery-
I lay critically ill in intensive care 
And discovered recovery
I stood  in the extensive graveyard
And discovered bravery  
I believed I prayed I discovered
 life is a test disciplinary

I see the Gates of Glorious Heaven
   I bow I praise The Highest Authority

The  Revelation The Truth
The Greatest Discovery



SARA FATIMA MIR- CHILDHOOD FUN