Poetry Series Shahzia Batool - poems - Publication Date: 2014 Publisher: Poemhunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive Shahzia Batool(december 1) www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 1 (anti-) Ageing! A gentle soul once asked me here to delete my Age and edit profile I read it and just passed a smile I do respect her but I ask: What will happen if I do? Where will go my achievements then? Which are knit in the web of years? The ones that I feel so proud on? Experience of my daily use? I just look back at mile-stones: From cupboard love of childhood phase, Tender touch of youthful age, Somber glow of growing years; A time there was when i was bright Writing poems in moonlit nights, I used to join my hands in faith, Standing westward kept on praying The sun used to sink in the cups of my hands, The fruits of prayers I earned a lot Some I kept and some I lost; Ageing, Friend! is not a loss, Passing years are not a waste Every age has a different taste! Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 2 ...The Dawn Calls... “How short time is! ” “telling Me? ” “nopes! just reminding myself” “I worked hard; still what I wish is beyond the moon” “the moon is unattainable” “that’s hard” “that’s true” “ah, yes…but then, it’s hard” “have a look! The sun dips” “yeah, it sinks” “dips here, gonna rise, somewhere else” “it’ll be dark soon” “the stars will décor the dark, you wait and see” “hmm, that’s life” “what’ll you do now? ” “I? , smoke life in metaphors, I’ll think poems” “you’ll burn yourself” “I extinguish myself” “the sun will be up again” “huh, to sink again, somewhere else” “YOU…..” “oh ok, but will it not sink again? , d'you deny it? ” “the time flies” “yeah, a relief” “what’s a heart? ” “an aching spot, why need asking? ” “but then, aching’s life” “depends, how you take it” “i…take it, aching, burning, bleeding” “the dead don’t bleed” “oh, be quiet…” “truth is unshunnable” “hey, look! not dark yet, strange” “the stars and starlets, glowing, a ransom for the sun” “can’t you forget? ” “you want death of me? ” “trees might be listening to us, they breathe” “let them…” “ask them to get away from here” www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 3 “whom…? ” “the stars…” “they’re friends” “I’m jealous, let the sun come up, let me die in chores” “escaping? ” “I wish I could! ” “regretting? What? ” “they kill me without knowing they’re killing me” “you are lonely? ” “sometimes, when they are with me, not when I’m really alone” “tears are worthless” “priceless” “worthless, especially when none’s there to …” “you stay here” “I’m inevitable, where’ll I go! ” “you’re precious” “let’s fly from here” “not that I’m rooted, my wings are not yet open, can’t trust them” “you never tried? ” “I never will…” “hey, look…some light” “I suspect the sun…” “think of the right word” “I knew it, I’ll die in daylight, they’ll keep me, possess me, I’ll be not me” “hogwash! You’ll change” “not my choice” “you had a vision once” “my heart aches still” “life’s calling …say Hi! ” “will you….? ” “see, don’t you delude yourself…” “…..stay with me? ” “let me go, you stay good, write poems, live life, love colors…not bad” “you trust me? ” “I know you live, when you care to” “I’m incorrigible, but, you know me…where’s my avatar? ” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “3 appointments Today….wish me luck…! ! ! ” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 4 Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 5 ~silence~ Thoughts bled Words did not descend on mind I scribed silence on a blank page! Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 6 2014 If God might let me walk the paths of 2014, (ameen) then I shall spend it as a research scholar, a student of life; I shall learn the tones of voices, the moods' diction, the words unsaid; steal the shades from the rainbow stripes, the colored band, and make them the ink for my new poems; I shall snap the spell of silence, and learn to talk aloud; sanity will be my targeted objective... the east sky will energize me the west sky will be my Major; I shall learn to break the metaphors by reading the text of my dreams; declare myself a soldier hard against the seven deadly sins; I shall learn the ways of sages keeping sailors' vision in their eyes, under their skins, yes, I shall rise and I shall shine no way but this, for the stars threatened me on terms, have put a condition before me that they won't talk to me unless I become the leading luminary brightening up my own horizon! ! ! Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 7 A Charming Carnelian Ring! ! ! If it transpires that you do not find me drawing breath, If there comes a time when my voice does not echo in your ears, If it comes to pass that my book shelf is in mourning for me, Then give my books to someone and tell them To take care of them As my eyes will still linger on every line of every page. Somewhere around is my book of poems: If possible, take care of it. It has traversed many thoughts, It has been decorated and honored with many words, It has been close to the boundaries of life. If at all you remember me, then do just this: If a thirsty traveler passes by, quench his thirst; Pray for its reward to come to me. On sad evenings, when the birds are quiet, Strew some grain for them, give them water For they would be sheltering a lot of sorrow under their wings, They hide their sorrows from others. When the Muezzin calls in the morning Remember me in your prayers, Tell Allah to forgive me, As I do not carry the sin of heartbreak with me. When you look at the sky think that a face resembling mine Has found a place among the stars. I know it will be like this I don’t know why I think I will be present among the galaxies Do not be annoyed that my legacy to you is only books And some poetry, and...a carnelian ring! © Shahzia Naqvi Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 8 A Child's Supplication! O Maker of this universe! ! ! ! ! Sought in silence, prose and verse! Teach me Lord to sing Thy Praise On strings of these my humble lays O Knower of all black and white Pour on us Thy heaven's light Thou knowst our deep folds and layers Unto Thee I send my prayers Bless the sick with healthy life Help the ones who are in strife Grow us strong to serve the nation with progress, peace and education Ignorance sweeps us with its might Help us remove it by our light Leave us not our Gracious God Save us from all evils odd Grace our minds with blessings Thine We wish to stay forever Thine Desert us not, O worthy Lord The path is thorny and so broad Our hands are seeking for Thy mercy Bless us withThy boundless mercy Bless my parents and my teachers Friends and siblings, all Thy creatures! Ameen! ! ! www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 9 Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 10 A Fruit-Laden Tree! This thought is upon a fruit-laden Tree Whose fruits and shades for all were free It looked at many a rich harvests Experienced many a droughts It bore the pangs of scorching sun, Raining, hailing and snowfall It witnessed the reigns of many a kings it sung the notes of many a seasons Heard moral tales of rise and fall It was the friend of the big and small It read of many a coup de tat Seeds and tender infant plants Grew under its cool and bounteous shades Many a travelers took rest and relief Under its fertile boughs and leaf-arcades; Last night, the death angel claimed its claim Now tender plants will grow in pain Face to face with sunlight and rain But, the up torn tree will never be rooted again! Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 11 A Girl Of Nine! I neither claim to be a perfect being nor a person free of flaws my heart is made of rebel stuff it does not follow laws somewhere inside I keep a child who does never grow She has her silent tantrums wild which mostly unattended go In me resides that girl of Nine you can say second self of mine she is in contrast with me when all leave, she lasts with me she's always clad in painted frock and loves to watch the birds' flock painted hair in pony-tails silky-textured ribbon tied same in nature Maggie-like sharp in wit and moods wild up a second, down the next mercurial creature knows no rest always in some search and quest sighs with others when others sigh smiles with others in times of joys never follows what I say unlike me she likes to play I am sober, tender, mild she is naughty, wittily-styled I'm mature, she is wild I've grown up but she is child! Shahzia Batool www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 12 A Glance! (Inwards!) Standing upon the deck of life When I see inwards I feel myself Like a flower, wild and uncared for This burns with care and blooms when neglected Obliged I am, to all never bothering to know me The credit of my present being Goes to the two kinds of friends, those, who could never understand me, Those, who always took me in the wrong; (Seawards!) When the soul perishes In a shipwreck of feelings capsized and sunk Lower and deeper never to get washed up The being looks like null and void When the mind is oblivious of smiles and cries When you stop caring for the cherished smile Displayed on lips, missing the pet sick chic, or a stolen doll, or recalling the first ever tears shed On the first foolish crush of the carefree childhood Can one survive such a shipwreck? (Sunwards!) Carrying new dawns in your lap Your paleness is not justified You witness the tears, the terror