POETS' CORNER

POEMS FOREVER

Quatrains of love

By Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Last night, thoughts of you,

once lost, rent my heart again

like clandestine spring, blooming

in a garden laid waste,

like the sweet morning breeze

slowly soothing the desert,

like an ailing soul, feeling fine

for no reason at all.

From Raat yunh dil mein teri khoee hui yaad aayi, translated by Mustansir Dalvi

Embracing madness

By Anam Shaheen Waraich

At night, I lose hold on my emotions,

And embrace madness.

Sometimes I still can’t believe that you are gone.

You were my happy world,

In which I wanted to live forever.

Out of all things to get lost in,

I would always run for your smile.

I just want see you one more time.

Just want to hold your hand once again.

You know why?

To hear,

‘I am doing well’

So that my heart can rest in peace.

Dreams

By Hiba Alamzaib

What are my dreams, and

How much do my desires

Weigh? Since long enough

In my conscious mind, I had

Little choice but to let them

Sway, back and forth in the

Rhythmic sensations of my

Heart; little did I know I had

Been painting big, singing

Loud and writing proud,

But even a little less did I know

How my infant dreams

With beaming, luminous

Faces and hopeful gestures

Encouraged my soul to

Flutter and fly so very high,

My aims thumping on bullies

And strangling my envies;

Forces of my aims lifting,

Fostering yet, strengthening

My will and conquering the

Most unexpected and

Brutal turn of events.

More did I gain to know:

Dreaming is redeeming

Bitter memories, dark griefs

And the numbness of the

Heart. Little did I know my

Fairy dreams can surmount the

Negatives, grasp the positives

And often fetch me a ticket

To the land we all once dreamt of.

What if?

By Areeba Naseer

What if words could

Speak?

Every Yes would say

No and

Every lie would tell

The truth.

And you, without the

Words to help you

Would remain silent.

And I would once more be,

Blind-folded, and

mistake your silence

For love.

Compiled by SK