Tuesday, February 28, 2017

For Gillena Cox ~ St James Trinidad and Tobago ~ Monday WRites 98 ~ Clarity in the Clouds


Monday or any day is the day
when dawn breaks bright
breaking darkness it brings all to sight

I keep glancing absorbing 
silent shadows outside
grateful to be alive

able to perceive Monday or any day
the clarity in the skies
broken only by amazing forms

 reflecting purity in flight
up high outloud,see
the majestic clarity


in the clouds, Monday or any other day


Monday, February 20, 2017

For IGWRT ~ Micro Poetry ~ And The Moon ~


and the moon came early shining to show
its presence...have you ever wondered
why it is always so calm ?
see the day has been so warm 
taking the toll energy and heat
sweaty is the body tired,the feet
and the moon comes in,cool
silently to fill the vacant pool
with soothing loving light
staying on till it is the end of night.... 


For Imaginary Garden with Real Toads ~ And the Moon and the Stars and the World"

many a night and day have
I seen the moon...in beauty
and grace it keeps its place
this night it was special

as

darkness descended chasing 
the Golden Light
turning evening into night-
night cannot take over day
nor day can over run night
only...

the moon shines, indebted to the
great source,half running its course
and the stars as jewels and guides
show  travelers on the seas,the ways
to new lands ..
this night as I looked up I
saw  the moon,it was not alone
a companion in the dark skies
what a blessing and a soothing
message ...
See the Light suspended as
a lamp, cutting the darkness ...

I then saw the smile of the star
even from so far
assurance love and comfort 
is around ..just open the heart 
soul and spirit, to receive it...
Look up and smile back'
The Moon has eyes.....

FOR ~ Carpe Diem #1159 Matto, Birthplace of Chiyo-Ni ~ Poems Enwreathed ~







colored flower bloomed bright
making morning day and night
poems enwreathed enshrined


Tribute to Chiyo-Ni



Thursday, February 16, 2017

For ~ imaginary garden with real toads ~ Artistic Interpretations - Immigrant Portraits~ Carried Across Barbed Wires ...


...In response to this wonderful historical prompt I am sharing an excerpt from my unpublished book on Hasan Family History...Migration from Kashmir to Pakistan 1930s-1950s

About grand Father, tell us about him… 
Grand Father Maulvi Mohammed Hasan was born in 1892 in Jammu Kashmir.Migrated from Kashmir due to famine.’‘Famine?

Here I have brought in information about the Great Famine which caused many Kashmiris to leave
their land.Many shifted to Amritsar Gujranwala in Punjab and to Sialkot near the border.Dr Ernest Neve’ writes in his book ‘Beyond the Pir Panjal’ Famine 1877-1879.In some parts of the valley including Srinagar it is said that population reduced by more than half.Heavy rain fell in Autumn before the crops were gathered in. The rice and maize which are the staple foods, rotted.During the Winter the rains continued.The cattle died from want of food.’

Spring harvest failed due to bad weather. The authorities made a fatal mistake and ordered a house to house search for seed grain.People hid the seed grains for their own eating,this aggravated the situation. Famine continued til October 1879.

There is a Kashmiri saying ‘Haki’mas ta hakimas nishh- tachhtan khodayo’ O God save me from physicians and rulers’.The rulers heavily taxed the local people taking from their produce ,earnings and wheat, etc which left hardly anything for the peasant worker or the agriculturist. In the famine,people ate oil-cake, rice, chaff, bark of elm and yew and even grasses and roots.They became absolutely demoralized like ravenous beasts,Those who died could be seen as corpses lying in the streets and open spaces, or pulled and dragged into holes where dogs kept wandering sniffing and eating.’Pestilence and cholera broke out and whatever edible stuff was available was extremely expensive, prices were sky high’.
1888-1892 Srinagar was a City of Dreadful Death’ it was previously known as ‘the Venice of the East’but now small pox spread all over killing many children…thus child population became the most affected. (Contributed)

Father continued the historical story and I was all ears for it.

‘Yes,the Famine affected large areas of India for two years.In the second year it spread towards the North. Yes, and he went to Shakkar Garrh Tehsil Sialkot.After some time,do not remember exactly how much,  he started living in Mohallah Dabgran ..Street Dabgran. My Grandfather Mohammed Azam was a Religious Teacher and a Muslim.He taught Religion –mainly the Quran to soldiers of the J&K State Army. Father Mohammed Hasan passed his matriculation from Jammu and graduated from Prince of Wales College Jammu.Had the honor of being the first Muslim Science graduate of Kashmir. His subjects were Geology Mathematicss and English. He passed the B Sc exam in 1913. Then went on to get his degree of Batchelor of Training from Central Training College Jammu.

And when did he start teaching Father?
‘Oh after he passed his training course he was immediately employed by the State Government.he was posted to Gilgit as Head Master of the Anglo Vernacular High School in 1914 for three years. After completing the term he was posted back to Srinagar as Second Master.His next posting was again to Gilgit in 1917 the World War was still going on…Father became a widower with two children Aziz Firdaus and Sakina Bibi…

‘when did he marry grand mother, Father?
Well, there was a good honest educated officer working in the PWD (Public Works Department) Mr Abdul Qadir Qureshi he was an Overseer, he had a daughter Wazir Begum…Father married Wazir begum and they both lived in Gilgit till 1930, when they left for Jammu….

Father your birthplace is Gilgit isn’t it?
Yes…Father was promoted to Assistant Inspector of Schools Jammu in July 1931. My mother Wazir Begum,your grandmother whom you never saw, was not happy to live in the hot weather city.She mentioned this to one of her friends, whose father happened to be  the Education Minister Sir Syed Hussain and one day Father was posted back to Kashmir. It was learnt later that Grandmother Wazir Begum had requested for transfer help…

1932 Father Hasan posting came as Asstt Inspector of Schools Mirpur, yet the weather played its part and Father came back to Islamabad Anantnag Kashmir in 1933
Why is it that Kashmiris cannot bear hot weather, Father?
‘well, perhaps they have always lived in colder regions more that is why…Father’s pay was just Rs150 per month, then. Alas, general poverty prevailed in Kashmir at the time…still not fully recovered from the famine….

Please, what happened then….My father lying on his bed kept talking slowly,telling me in bits and pieces, in short phrases,taking in deep breaths at times… how much he must be missing his childhood home, his town his friends and his native land…I was slowly realizing that feeling….

‘Father(Mohammed Hasan) served  in the capacity of Town Inspector in the field of Education in the State.Further to this he was appointed Special Inspector of Schools for the Mohammedan Education…the founder of this was the Ferozesons Group.

Father Mohammed Hasan soon made a mark in the field of education by his dedicated work and competency in teaching.He was selected to attend the ‘Conference on Habba Khatoon’ at Banares India,  where he presented a Seminar. This program was relayed on the radio as well.
Father was quiet for some time.I kept sitting for I had promised myself to know as much as possible about the early years of migrating to Pakistan. This was a golden chance.


Wednesday, February 15, 2017

For dVerse Poets Pub ~ Inner Recesses ~



 

what is this burden

stillness in beat ,

bleeding through

the inner recesses ...

I seek Light, It may make it light

I seek warmth it may console it

I seek peace it may soothe it

I seek silence it may stable it


where are all these I need

in inner recesses or outside

in the blue skies

in the white clouds

in colored rainbows

or in green grasslands


in inner recesses is

a voice whispering

a beat warning

a flow living

a life growing

a spirit gifted

Ah tis the spirited heart

But I parted with it, surrendered it

to The Majestic

Praying that it may be cleaned

filled with patience

filled with warmth filled with love

filled with forgiveness

filled with truth and all good

so that I may be Light

in ..inner recesses

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

FOR PEACE....When Peace is Just Round the Corner

when peace is just round the corner
which corner? a voice whispers...the unseen
in the fog creeps silently sails by

when silence is just broken by chirps
which birds? a voice whispers...the silent
trees sad yet sturdy stay fixed

when food is scarce in shops full
which bazaar? a voice whispers... the hungry
on the road wipes the tears dry

when every night dogs bark and keep
barking...who is it...a voice whispers
unseen spirit prowls...keep praying

Saturday, February 4, 2017

For VERSES by Gillena Cox ~ Trinidad ~ No Gold No Decor ~


A voice inside the soul speaks 
So many times, I have lost count
I have rushed to meet the unseen
and found messages in the serene

skies,shining radiant glowing
I have cried and received love
peaceful blue white and yet dark
too,but blocking the evil hue

stay safe be safe, see the truth
the light,how the nest is held
in the thin fragility aloft, open

a home secure,wings to reach
family and rest,food to feed
no gold no decor nor breach
yet all for life and all for need

and the the grail is manifest
we must pray and pass the test
trees birds clouds and light
will shine,hold the rope tight,



SARA FATIMA MIR- CHILDHOOD FUN