GARDEN OF EDEN
My spirit soars up to the sky,
As I on the lush green carpet lie.
Ecstasy envelopes my always
…melancholy heart,
As, sudden wind blown ripples,
In the pond start.
As the winter suns, warm rays,
Caress my being I do sway
Frolicking and frisking, from here to there,
Like a lamb, the desire, I wish to bear.
May you bloom forever, my Garden of Eden,
Make my thoughts soar upto, The Seventh Heaven.
NO MORE TEARS
As you leave for greener pastures,
Tears flown down the cheeks at your departure.
The migrating bird flutters its wings,
Over for it, is the season to sing.
The Bentley turns round the corner
Disappears from sight, now and forever.
I shall miss your nudge and touch,
For our friendship others could vouch.
But since the ‘Sea of Gold’ is at a distance,
Leave for it right now, this instance.
WHEATHER GENUINE CAUSE OF ANGER?
Enraged I stroll towards
The counter,
To involve myself in
A brutal encounter;
The salesman gave me rupees
Five less,
A gruesome mistake that
He should confess,
Was the well aware
Of it,
Or did the mistakingly
Di it,
Remains to be seen
Or is it
My frustration built in.
POSSESSION
I own you, your every movement is mine
To do as I please
Why did you do this why did you do that
Raise your voice, or your eyelid bat
Its our of the question I won’t let you out of my sight
You belong to me only to me, you are my birth right
Just the other day your momentary absence felt like multitude
Was it the toilet or were you astray,
I am suspicious, you I possess.
Do not leave me, I shall feel the betray,
Your look and smile elsewhere, your touch
Are all for me, me only,
From others, to be kept at bay
Do not ever make a start with darling, for another,
It will make the other want to come hither
I feel bold and beautiful in your presence
But am at a loss in your absence
I own, you, you I possess
THE BANANA
So I am meant to be fed to the monkey,
Wail till you have an encounter with my peel,
Without the night, stars you shall see,
For still life I join hands with friend apple,
Different shapes of me decorate a cocktail
I lie on the table as the knife slices me open,
An incision in my centre, split into pieces,
My seed in you sprout a plant
The likes of which you have to see to believe,
They should call you sprout a plant
I make ‘shakes’ about the reference
What you treasure to eat,
Out of which you should not make mincemeat
LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES
While jogging I tripped over lace,
Next time tied my shoes with grace,
I sang out of tune at the dinner,
Practice, well almost made me a crooner,
I fell when somebody pulled the chair away
Brushed my right hand, to my Utter dismay,
It was my turn, I said
Tit for tat,
And hurt to my content,
The guilty brat,
In the run with,
Trail and error
I have grown to be
A lot wiser.
SACRIFICE
It seemed like my paradise was there to stay,
Everything I always wanted I possessed,
To hold to cherish till, I was dead
The envy of the crowd, I swayed to the rhythm
My heart heat and my breath hummed,
We were five in all, two boys and a girl,
The mild summer and a picnic by the beach
Snowflakes on the mountains not our of reach
On holiday or at work
Happiness and contentment always at my doorstep,
Suddenly fate started changing for worse,
The truth came home, not an act to rehearse,
He had to leave my side for greener pastures,
The children went along, all for one, one for all,
I was left all alone, to wipe my tears,
One my one they left me for a motionless floor,
I was all alone, all alone.
COMPANIONSHIP
Hold my hand, take me to he land,
Where name nor brand,
Will come in between true friends,
Shall go to their house,
Feeling like a louse,
Smiles, warmth, mirth and cheer,
Encompass me from all sides…
Take me away from my swing of mood,
Feel I well and good.
True friendship is hard to find,
With materialism in mind.
Wherever you are, come and touch me,
For mi am abound with sincerity,
A friend I receive…
To avoid the mire….
Always be there.
Give meaning to my blank stare.
ROMANCE
I love you, my dearest, my cherub,
The sunset and sunrise are for me a spectacle & to behold
Because of your warmth I do not feel the cold
Of the cloudy, dark winter nights,
Logs to burn I need not, nor do indeed the light.
Tomorrow is always a day to look forward to.
In your company life is a bundle of joy.
A tear rolls down my cheek, and shines and sparkles
It beautifies my skin and gives it a certain glow
In your adulation it had to flow.
I captured to kitten through your eyes,
And whispered a lullaby by your sound
Togetherness should last and last.
I am in love, I am in love.
GUILT COMPLEX
Enclosed in a shell like a tortoise,
Keeping away from the lively movements & noise,
My own I fail to recognize,
Do not shake hands with me please
I am no more, no more at ease,
I suffer from a guilt complex,
Was I the one to destroy a friendship
Or lose my temper in a relationship.
The other day I threw some litter on the road,
Turned a deaf ear to the call for prayer,
I suffer from a guilt complex
I am amazed at my faults.
Have I them or have I not?
Is it just the state of my mind
Or has somebody without cause have me to remind
Of a non-existent situation,
Will I ever surface, 1 suffer from a Guilt Complex.
TILL DEATH DO US IN
Last night I woke up from a dream,
To realise, that it was not what it seemed,
My companion for my relaxed hours,
Was wet through and through…
No I had not done it…
It was the thunderstorm that possessed it:
I totalled the time,
That flew past the chime,
That rung from my alarm,
To raise me with charm
Out indeed I shall pay no heed
The mattress and I look alike
Bulging from the sides-out, vital statistics 40,40,40
ENCOUNTER
On my travels such was my plight,
Did Gulliver or Passepartout with all their might,
Slip in a puddle in broad daylight
Were they bait, to such a trait,
In their Sunday best waiting for a suitor
Who would pronounce romance truer
The mishap with the hair
That turned bald and bare…
Thinking of the worlds miseries…
Had there been no fisheries
No salmon and no trout
To bring about a prick in the mouth;
With the writing to bleed
Promising a bond in a deed.
HEAVEN IS AT HER FEET
From the moment a child opens its eyes.
To the world and its ties:
She nurtures it like a steadfast rock,
Right from pant to frock.
“And I shall guide you,
On the path that I walked on,
Before you came along.
In sickness and in health,
In poverty and in wealth,
Whenever I needed company,
You gave the note to the harmony.
Sit tight little one…”
INNOCENCE
As the child looked with his eyes wide open,
I thought, on innocence I would write a poem;
Unaware of the sins committed by society.
Oblivious of death and calamity:
Playing with a toy gun in the hand,
As if the real one has not harmed the land;
Exist, does a lie, denied,
The solemn truth will always preside;
Early in the morning shall I arise…
To greet with a surprise;
The coin planted in my garden
Shall hurst into a tree?
With the money, chocolates I shall buy
And build a house, Hansel Gretel style
RESORT TO QUILT
The dark cold winter night,
Bring a shudder and a chill to the might
The star at a distance so high.
Part oblivious, because of the cloud in the sky,
The severe, pouring December rain,
From which even the umbrella covered, refrain.
I love to stay indoors,
And protect myself from the downpour.
I snuggle up warm and cozy in my eider-down quilt,
Watching television, sipping coffee,
Plunged on my bed, with my pillow at a slight tilt
LIFE IS SACRED
In the Garden, the blooming rose.
Tucked in the vase, in a pose.
The sweet fragrance, spread in the air,
Lending grace to an otherwise, room bizarre.
The rich red velvet of the petals.
The crowning glory of the green sepals.
The beauty of this natural piece,
Has at last now, withered and died;
Reminds one all the time,
Life should be lived to the brim,
In case this virtue is denied.
MY WEAKNESS IS MY STRENGTH
If there can be appeal
In the scar on that face,
I will take my weakness
With a lot of grace,
If every tumble gives you a chance
To rise erect with a new stance,
When the going gets tough
The tough get going
Yesterday, I fell to-
Get up again and start moving.
In the classroom the young boy
From his neighbour snatched the toy.
The truck rammed into the car
With all its might,
Killed the occupants and threw
Them out a sight,
The sky roared with thunder
Scared stiff as they went down under.
My weakness shall he my strength,
May I never misuse it
Even for one moment.
The meek shall inherit the earth.
CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD
Walking about in torn and tattered clothes, Looking messy with a running nose.
Crippled, unable to walk properly,
The arrogant man, looks at him disdainfully.
The other day the car almost ran her down,
As she leaped forward, begging For an aim,
Hand outstretched, unable to see,
In the sun, wearing dark glasses,
Makes him look shady.
For a cheap rate, They are bought,
Are they, Children of a Lesser God?
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD
The morning sun shines through the window,
Making the face beam and glow.
I suddenly feel the urge, to rise and shine.
My feelings take a turn, towards
The lofty and divine,
As I escape the barricade of my bed,
The wasted, whiled hours I now dread.
The sun has injected into me a Potion,
Which makes me want to drive into motion.
The golden globe warms the earth,
Returns the gaiety and the mirth.
BEYOND THE GRASP
Take your outstretched hand,
See dreams of the promised land.
Butterflies in different colours.
Dive and leap and soar,
Honey and nectar on the doorstep,
Would one find such a place on the map.
Where no misery, no bitterness, no sorrow
Looking forward always to a better morrow.
This is what Utopia is all about,
Neither begged, borrowed nor bought
DEATH UNKNOWN
After death the era seems
Bleak and dreary,
Woven around it an aura of mystery.
Will I have to repent for my sins,
Or will I be classed divine.
All questions answered at the
mercy of time-
Will I be in Gods domain.
Or will me be, Satan slain,
If I knew distinctly I would
Have an upper hand.
God rules supremely over the
Law of the land.
I am afraid of the outcome of death
Will it or will it not be as I suggest
LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS
As the mountaineer up the mountain ascends,
Traversing the path that he will have to descend.
At the sight, an ordinary man
Would have shuddered.
Up hills and pitfalls, All a part of life.
Whether it is easy going or only strife.
Sometimes an obstacle comes in the way,
Sometimes it is smooth going all the way,
Lifes ups and downs add to its totality,
Lending to it an air of immortality.
LIVE AND LET LIVE
You took her out to the
Cosy restaurant for dinner,
I was vociferous in-my appeal,
For you as sinner.
Social taboos should never erect
A wall between us,
Otherwise our relationship
Will take a turn for the disastrous,
My catty instincts
Were aroused by your-
Blast of voice
If only I could have told myself
Never mind, its his choice.
The norm of the day is
Follow a strict diet
A pound here or there will not
A tremendous impact
Make on the weight
Live and let live,
Take and learn to give.
BUZZ OFF TELEPHONE
Be hold and me apprise
Of the current inflation and rise
In atta prices and the general
And of course dowries too
Acquaint you I shall with the
So called water and loo
Escapism with my telephone
From the hullabaloo
Hi, Hullo, how do you do?
Hadn’t we just met
Before an hour or two
Serves me right
If it was hate at first sight,
Out a sight, sorry upright, my telephone
Bill read
Not in units, tens but in hundreds
INNOCENCE
Huddled close by, yet far from the fire blazing.
Watching the cinders creating in the light, the night,
Hush, hush in subdued tones they sat whispering,
The vegetation surrounding them swaying, to and fro in the door,
The draft humming and wheezing through the cracks,
In the corner, the phone as silent as a graveyard,
The settee and settlers comfortable in its warn embrace,
Victorian paintings in the background, depicting grace,
The image of romance portrayed,
Tring, tring, the bell of the telephone sounds,
The wife speaks to her husband’s company,
Suspicions aroused, seething with rage and jealously,
She bangs the phone and envisages the courts,
Breaking the bond of trust that friendship is all about,
Between man and woman so clean and so pure,
Yet so distant and aloof to the short sighted.
TO EACH HIS OWN
May I have enough tolerance,
Not to take offence;
At whatever character trait
The other may portray:
If he does not possess….
….A sense of humour
Or enjoys spreading
Every once in a while….
A rumour.
Enjoys coming late,
Or does not felicitate.
Why does that foul my mood?
When I sometimes am up to no good.
Do I not see reason,
In the coming season;
What harm can
A living, loving soul,
Do to my whole?
If God has pronounced
The Day of Judgement,
To account for every one’s temperament,
Who am I to be displeased,
When somehod does that or this.
CONFESSIONS OF A TERRORIST
Possessed by the devil,
I strode out to do evil.
With enmity written large on my face,
Somebody has to be dad in deaths embrace.
Just yesterday a child became an orphan,
And a couple were worried by the ransoms burden.
The fetters of depression behold the city,
Where everyday criminals like me enter captivity.
Karachi, Karachi of yore
Shall hot surface will not surface
Whilst I trigger my double barrel bore.
JOY AND SORROW
The begum dashes by in –
– Her flashing car,
To meet a companion at –
– A destination afar.
At a meeting point
In a parlour,
Five boys voraciously
In a corner ice Cream devour,
The silk saris and golden bangles
Glittering in the light,
The high heels and the leather purses
Presenting a sight;
The beggar in his torn
and tattered assemblage,
Spreads out his palm
And asks for patronage.
MOMENTS OF BLISS
The mild rays filtering
Through the tree;
The winter sun beaming
In glee,
The lush green grass
Beneath me,
Forming a carpet softly;
The birds chirping in the trees,
The insects frolicking from here to there
The morning dew drops thinning in the warm air;
An apple in my hand
I keep the doctor away;
What more can one ask for
I to myself say.
I FELT CHEATED
She was single and lonely,
All of her belonged to me;
At the corner of the building
Looking like a bride,
I spotted her needing
Help at her side
Chivalrously I opted
To do the needful,
She seemed thoroughly pleased
And blissful:
Then suddenly a car stopped by her,
With door flung open.
A man sat inside.
With wide open arms which did her beckon.
Alas; To my dismay, i was left alone,
Near me no more now, but an illusion.
WHAT’S COOKING
la Ra Rum go the prancing, dancing,
Flames of the stove,
Amused by this scenario, is the meat
Being cooked above.
The groin softens to the warmth of the fire,
With the cabbage and potato.
It forms an empire.
The unveiling of the platter,
Reveals, fit for a king, matter.
Copied from television this recipe
Is a treat, When near and dear ones,
Altogether do meet.
COURTSHIP BETWEEN THE CAT AND THE CROW
My backyard is livened up
By the cat and the crow.
From a distance they for each other
A liking show.
Caw Caw, Meow Meow they hark & howl.
A din enough, to disturb the neighbouring fowl
Both of them perched on the dustbin.
Turn by turn.
Waiting for a morsel, from the kitchen to return.
Up goes the left over meat, in the air,
What ensues would ashame ‘The battle for the chair
BE PUSHY, FRIEND. WHEN REQUIRED
In the line of bill payers at the bank,
As the fairer sex,
If sick don’t just be blank
“Ladies first”, “excuse me11, “before you please”
For deals with unpaid bills,
Ask for goods back, threat if you will,
Repeat the request for a job.
You may make it from the mob,
Instead of standing, share the seat on the bus
Isn1t it much better than making a fuss,
Whatever you do during tug-o-war, do not push the rope
Or you’ll be the laughing stock amidst cries of,
“What a dope”,
Sometimes an obstacle comes in the way,
Sometimes it is smooth going all the way,
Lifes ups and downs add to its totality,
Lending to it an air of immortality.
ABOUT THE POET
I, Zeenat iqbal hussain am an educated mother and grandmother and feel happy if I achieve on my educational front which in turn motivates me to do better with my housework. I used to write for Dawn and The News and my late father Ahmed Jivanjee was a famous journalist of karachi. I strive to go unsung one day and offer gratitude to Allah swt for his blessings.