Contemporary Literary Review: India (CLRI) Issue 2010

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Poems on Nature Theme published with Muse India

Oh Clouds

Oh clouds, gather over my roof
someday and rain as much as you like
I’ll drench to my content
and wear new attires.

Oh sun, pray you shine
on my back and warm me
to the bone. I’ll grow
myself strong and wear a coat.

Oh sparrow, come and sit on
my window and chirp. I’ll listen
to the music in calm ambience
and enjoy unending nature’s echo.

Oh golden flowers, bloom
in my garden in youth
and cool the lawn. I’ll smell
and embrace your faith.

Why Drink from the Oasis

Why drink from the oasis?
A great sea is lying beneath–
remove the sheet of sands and peep.

The only tree stands straight
failing with rugged barks
and empty branches
Root a new plant before
you celebrate its death.

A man in solitude
can speak to himself; poorly
Break the soliloquy and meet
the people. They will listen!
Response makes you meaningful.

Begin a New Day

At dawn
The sunflower smiles to the sun
Begin a day—
better than yesterday

The breeze is laden with the smell of soil
the bursting of new flowers, and the cool dews.

The silence is filled with the birds’ song
They head to the east for the early breakfast
heeding to the sun’s call and the flowers’ welcome

The white and red rose petals make a hue
in the garden—the beautiful linen brings joys anew.

Mother Nature

She must be motherly

We’re

Born

Cradled

And

We breathe

Grow

Find repose.

She yields us

Food

Shelter

A harmony to cherish.

She must be a temple.

Note: These poems are on nature theme brought out by Muse India in issue 32, July-August, 2010.

Rescue Against Fire is published with the Quatrain City

Rescue Against Fire is published with the Quatrain City.



Rescue Against Fire
by Khurshid Alam


In the vast blue umbrella, two holes of
fire poke threatening me to warm ‘gainst
the cold water. Luckily a shelter
I have at the other end of the hill.

Note: This is an ekphrastic poem that was declared winner in the Quatrian City contest #9.

New Poems 'Mirror Filled with Guilt', 'The Root', 'Voyeurism', 'Plagiarism' published

Four of my new poems Mirror Filled with Guilt, The Root, Voyeurism, Plagiarism are published with ken* again in Vol. 11, No. 2, Summer 2010.



Mirror Filled With Guilt

At the mirror filled with guilt
Even the rubbish sells
I barked. Soon I recollected my facial arch
And looked around to ensure no one
Saw me in the deed
And broke the mirror into pieces.


The Root

Let me reset all the images
irregular
The stones turn
deaf
if you carve them out of
Father—
the mountain is
bleeding
in silence!

People have carved out
many images
and have taken possession of
the forms
among themselves
The forms have lost
the content —
no grass grows on
stone images.

Yet they worship and grow
old
to forget the holy Father
and go mad
with the child images.


Voyeurism

Creeping on my chest
the ant touched my neck
Move away from here now
I'm conjugating, I screamed.

In the dusk of the room
her body made a posture
I tried to read it in vain
peeping through the windowsill.

She gasped with strong breath
the wind blew out of the window
where I stood waiting for a glimpse
she tossed in the bed for life.

I dress in the dark for fear
She may lick her lips
to see me bare in the ribs
and kill me in the daylight.


Plagiarism

It is easy to write:
easy to plagiarize
copy the things:
it’s yours
but think twice
before you plagiarize
your run-of-the-mill art
may get derail
of the destination and
you may land in some corner
where mosquitoes will eat you up
till you cry it hard and vomit:
apologies, money and all!

Note: To read these poems, visit ken* again.

Blessing Ceaselessly published with The Quatrain City

Blessing Ceaselessly


Worship to the gods studded in the linoleum.
The sacred murals bless you: they stand guard
against all evils in life and light your ways;
the third eye awakens you to think beyond.


Note: This is an ekphrastic poem that was declared Runner-Up in The Quatrain City Poetry Contest # 7, dated June 20, 2010.

Assert the Truth published with Daily Love

Assert the Truth

Should you come to meet me
And ask: how I am?
I’m fine. But to tell it
In answer is sweeter than sweet.

Should you come to greet me
And welcome: how sure I am?
I am full of confidence
But to assert it in answer.
Is to be more confident.

Should you but come to me
And propose: if I love you?
I do, should you but ask!
For, to accept is more
Beautiful than I do love you.

---
For Shez
---
Note: This poem was first published in Daily Love, May 20, 2010.

Three New Poems Published

A Stone Lizard

A stone lizard

darted its tongue

and caught a cave cricket

the cricket creaked, buzzed…

and the sound died in a few moments.

The lizard crept on the rough mountain

where hard trees and plants grew

and dry leaves lay strewn

the lizard cried shaking its head: I live in the mountain

in cave, among stones. I’m a stone.

I hide myself in the chrome

and eat the insects which I turn

into stone in my dark stony stomach.

Tell Lies

Tell lies

for there is much faith in believing lies

and let them show how much they love you.

Truth is well propagated in promises

in politics, in judiciary, in love.

Lovers die to uphold the promises

Politicians fight at the hustings to prove their words

Judiciary strives to uphold morality

Lies receive a cold welcome everywhere.

I’ve won many awards for truth

But I bargain life each time I tell lies.

Empty Chest

I want to cry at the pain

I can’t

My chest is empty

I feel the pain too battering.

Note: All these three poems were first published in ken* again, the literary magazine, Vol. 10, No. 4, Winter 2009/2010.