Not a geography of abundance,

But a translucent hologram projected into the marrow of being

Corina Junghiatu, a renowned bilingual poet and writer from Romania, shares her poetry

Corina Junghiatu, born on April 12, 1981, in Bucharest, Romania, is a renowned bilingual poet, writer, and literary critic. With a Master’s degree in Philology and Psychopedagogy, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Letters and Philosophy, she has cultivated a deep passion for literature from a young age, beginning her poetic journey at 12. Fluent in five languages, Corina has made significant contributions to the literary world.

She is the author of two acclaimed poetry collections: Exile in the Light and The Ritual of a Sunrise, with a third collection currently in progress. Beyond her writing, Corina is a driving force in the global literary community. She serves as the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Verseum Literary Journal and the Verseum Literary Forum. Additionally, she holds the role of Chief Administrator and Global Publishing Coordinator for Motivational Strips, the world’s most active writers’ forum, and acts as the Chief Advisor for the World Nations Writers’ Union in Kazakhstan.

Her literary achievements have earned her widespread recognition, including prestigious awards such as the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi Award in 2020 and the Order of Shakespeare Medal in 2021. She was also honored with the PREMIO MUNDIAL 2020 “CESAR VALLEJO” (Excellence in Literature) Award, acknowledging her exceptional contributions to the field.

Corina’s poetry has been featured in numerous national and international journals and anthologies, and she is an active participant in global poetry festivals and cultural events, often stepping into roles of co-organizer and moderator. Through her unwavering dedication to literature and culture, Corina continues to inspire and connect writers and readers worldwide.

Happiness

Happiness is not a place on the map,

Not a geography of abundance,

But a translucent hologram projected into the marrow of being,

An inner combustion sparking from an electric dream,

Pulsing through the invisible network of the spirit,

Where every atom becomes a guiding lamp,

And silence takes on the texture of an unwritten sound.

Happiness is the mute vibration of mountains,

Where clouds do not linger but pass through stone,

Where the wind does not whistle but engraves codes

Into the veins of leaves,

Where tree roots screw themselves

Into the earth’s core

Like wires carrying the memory of the world.

Happiness is a wound of light

That does not hurt but expands in circles,

A grain of sun rolling over the skin of morning,

A wing that has forgotten its body

But keeps flying.

Happiness is a hand tracing the air,

Unaware that it has just invented infinity.

***

Journey to You

I will search for you beyond time,

Where hours unravel

Into fine threads of light,

Where seconds shed their bodies

And leave behind only echoes.

I will drift, perhaps, among silver colonies

Rising from the bosom of Venus,

In a galactic symphony,

And there, I will find you again,

Dancing with the fire of comets,

In a corner of infinity

Where only we

Will know we have been.

It will be but a billion years between us,

Or perhaps just a moment,

When atoms end their searching

And we will touch,

Two fragments of sky,

Restoring a light

The universe created

At the dawn of time.

***

BALLERINA

At the heart of the stage,

Light paints a mirage:

A ballerina does not step, she floats,

Weaving a geometry of air with her soles.

An Aphrodite dances

On the slender thread of light,

A Persephone sways,

Her amber body

Pulsing like a flicker of a lamp in the night.

The silk of her steps

Rustles like jasmine petals,

Scented with rain torn upon lace,

While her tutu, a metaphor,

A wisp of burnt sugar,

Dissolves in circles

Until it becomes a dense mist of vanilla.

The violins melt into honeyed breaths,

While the piano weaves her into the air,

Imprisoning her soul in sound.

Between one dance and another,

Only the echo of an artist’s fate remains,

Born from the dust of stars,

Forever thirsting for a beauty

That cannot be grasped,

But which, with every creation,

Is reborn into infinity.

***

A Black Swan

Under the stained glass of the sky,

With a ceiling that seems to shatter

In invisible lines,

The wind unravels the chimaeras,

Leaving behind echoes

Crushed in the wake of footsteps.

Amid this spectral universe,

In the heart of emerald water,

A black swan, clad in a gown of stars

With feathers in the hue of alchemy,

Unfolds between the secretive black

And the blue of eternity,

Drawing circles of light

That defy gravity.

Its movements transform into liturgies,

Becoming incantations of the spirit

In a symphony of unexpressed emotions.

At the threshold of sunset,

When the sun, rebellious and bloodied,

Leaves scars on the texture of reality,

The swan, with wings bathed in azure,

Vanishes into its own shadow,

Transforming into a dream,

Leaving behind

The memory of an ephemeral destiny,

Where each flight is a journey

Towards the essence of the self.

In watching it, I grasp the sublime fragility

Of all beings who, like the swan,

Are condemned to dance

On the stage of the infinite,

With wings spread wide,

Ready to embrace THE LIGHT.

***

The Anatomy of Silence

Beneath the evening’s sternum,

Ink flows in reverse,

Phosphorescent veins write in the air

With living letters.

Stories rise in spirals

And burn like the seed of the first silence.

From an open book, trees begin to grow,

Their leaves are letters torn from the night,

Their roots weep in forgotten inks

And breathe shadows into the eyes

Of white stars.

Within every word hides a winter,

An amber where trembles

The shadow of a mouth that never got to utter

The true name of light.

The city’s lungs breathe in free verse,

Its buildings,

Vertebrae of a poem written from within,

In invisible blood,

Read only by those who still remember

How to fly.

And I wait for you at the edge of an alphabet

Only the dream can understand,

Where time is a blind spider,

Weaving between us

The anatomy of silence.

____________ 

Coordinated by Angela Kosta Executive Director of MIRIADE Magazine, Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator, promoter

The post Happiness – Bouquet of Poems from Romania first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Ashraf Aboul-Yazid

“Desierto” or “Desert” by Spanish poet Virginia Fernández Collado is a poignant and deeply personal poetic diary that eloquently captures the human spirit’s resilience and vulnerability during a time of unprecedented isolation. Written over fifteen months, from October 25, 2019, to January 23, 2021, the collection features sixty-two poems that reflect the author’s intimate thoughts and observations amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant confinement. This work transcends mere poetry, offering a unique glimpse into the intertwining of personal experience, nature, and the universal challenges of a global crisis.

The collection begins in a world untouched by the pandemic, gradually transitioning into the months marked by isolation and upheaval. Fernández Collado’s decision to retreat to her rural hometown during the early days of confinement adds a striking layer to the narrative, as the natural world becomes both a sanctuary and a source of inspiration. This setting infuses the poems with a palpable sense of tranquility and grounding, even as they explore themes of longing, uncertainty, and renewal.

Fernández Collado employs a first-person narrative to draw readers into her inner world, creating a vivid dialogue between herself, nature, and the absent presence of loved ones. The use of specific dates as titles for each poem reinforces the diary-like structure, lending authenticity and immediacy to the work. This chronological approach allows readers to journey alongside the poet, experiencing her emotions and reflections in real-time. The absence of traditional titles is a deliberate choice, emphasizing the spontaneous and raw nature of the creative process. Each poem feels like a snapshot of a fleeting moment, captured as it occurs, much like the autumn leaves she poetically describes as falling with ease and inevitability.

What sets “Desierto” apart is its remarkable ability to balance personal introspection with universal themes. The intimate tone invites readers to connect with the poet’s experiences while simultaneously reflecting on their own journeys through isolation and change. Fernández Collado’s language is lyrical yet accessible, weaving vivid imagery with profound emotional depth. The poems often explore the juxtaposition of stillness and movement, mirroring the external quiet of confinement and the internal turbulence of the human soul.

Beyond its poetic merit, the work is enriched by Fernández Collado’s extensive background as a poet, educator, and scholar. Her academic expertise and literary prowess shine through in the intricate layering of themes and the careful crafting of each verse. As a poet who has been widely published in international journals and anthologies, Fernández Collado brings a global perspective to her work, which resonates with readers across cultures and experiences. This universality is further highlighted by the inclusion of nature as a recurring motif, symbolizing both the constancy and unpredictability of life.

The physical and emotional landscapes of “Desierto” offer a profound exploration of the intersection between isolation, creativity, and human connection. The rural setting, with its open fields and changing seasons, serves as a powerful metaphor for the passage of time and the cycles of life. Fernández Collado’s reflections on her surroundings reveal a deep appreciation for the natural world, which she portrays not only as a refuge but also as a mirror to her own emotions and struggles.

As a collection born out of one of the most challenging periods in recent history, “Desierto” captures the essence of what it means to endure and adapt. It is a testament to the power of poetry as a means of expression and healing, offering solace and insight to those who read it. For anyone seeking a work that combines lyrical beauty with profound emotional resonance, “Desierto” is a must-read.

In conclusion, Virginia Fernández Collado’s “Desierto” is more than a poetic diary—it is a timeless reflection on humanity’s capacity to find meaning, connection, and hope even in the most desolate of times. Through her evocative language and intimate narrative, Fernández Collado invites readers to embark on a journey of self-discovery and renewal, reminding us all of the enduring power of art to illuminate and transform our lives.

Virginia Fernández Collado’s “Desierto” is a poetic diary that offers readers an intimate journey through a transformative period in recent history. Spanning fifteen months from October 25, 2019, to January 23, 2021, the work captures the profound emotional and psychological shifts brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Written during a time of confinement and social upheaval, the collection consists of sixty-two poems that reflect the poet’s raw and spontaneous observations of life, nature, and self.

The title, “Desierto” (Desert), is symbolic of the solitude and introspection that defined the author’s experiences during this time. It evokes an image of vastness, stillness, and a search for meaning in an environment seemingly devoid of life yet rich with hidden depth. Fernández Collado frames her work as a dialogue—with nature, with her innermost thoughts, and with the absent presence of loved ones—creating a sense of connection amidst isolation. The poet’s decision to retreat to her rural hometown during confinement provides a serene yet evocative backdrop for the narrative. Here, nature becomes both a refuge and a muse, inspiring reflections that resonate universally with readers.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Serenity,

I contemplate the falling leaves.

The structure of the work reinforces its intimate and diary-like nature. Each poem is marked by the date of its composition, foregoing traditional titles. This approach underscores the spontaneity and immediacy of the poet’s creative process, inviting readers to experience the passage of time as Fernández Collado did—moment by moment, thought by thought. This is not merely a collection of poems; it is a living document of resilience, introspection, and the human capacity to find beauty in adversity.

The poems in “Desierto” are deeply rooted in the interplay between the external world and the internal psyche. Fernández Collado’s connection to nature is palpable throughout the collection, as she uses the rural landscape as both a metaphor and a grounding force. The imagery of falling autumn leaves, blooming flowers, and the rhythmic passage of seasons mirrors the poet’s emotional landscape. These natural elements become symbols of change, growth, and renewal, offering solace and insight during uncertain times.

One of the most striking aspects of the collection is its immediacy. The poems capture fleeting moments of thought and emotion, reflecting Fernández Collado’s practice of writing as inspiration strikes. This raw and unfiltered approach gives the work a sense of authenticity and intimacy, as if the reader is peering directly into the poet’s mind. Lines that describe the quiet beauty of the rural setting stand in stark contrast to those that confront the loneliness and uncertainty of confinement, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow.

For example, in poems written during the early days of the pandemic, Fernández Collado reflects on the sudden stillness that enveloped the world. The quiet streets, the absence of human activity, and the heightened presence of nature create a surreal atmosphere that the poet captures with stunning clarity. As the collection progresses, the tone shifts subtly, moving from despair to acceptance and even hope. This progression mirrors the collective journey of many during the pandemic, making the work deeply relatable.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Everything is a slow

Passing of the hours

Like rows of ants,

Like falling snowflakes.

The decision to use dates as titles is particularly effective in anchoring the poems in their historical and emotional context. This choice not only emphasizes the diary-like structure of the work but also highlights the passage of time—a theme that recurs throughout the collection. Each date represents a snapshot of the poet’s thoughts and feelings on that particular day, creating a mosaic of experiences that together form a cohesive narrative.

Fernández Collado’s language is both lyrical and accessible, making the collection suitable for a wide audience. Her ability to distill complex emotions into simple yet evocative imagery is a testament to her skill as a poet. For instance, her descriptions of the natural world are vivid and precise, drawing the reader into the landscape she so lovingly depicts. At the same time, her exploration of themes such as solitude, resilience, and the search for meaning resonates on a deeply human level.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

In the calm of the night

There are also gales

The universal appeal of “Desierto” lies in its ability to balance the personal and the collective. While the poems are rooted in Fernández Collado’s individual experiences, they also speak to the shared emotions and challenges of living through a global crisis.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

I like the autumn weather,

The slow fall of the leaves.

And tears

That go into winter.

This duality makes the collection both timely and timeless, offering readers a sense of connection and understanding in an uncertain world.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Because it is necessary

To let the desert speak,

To its infinite vastness.

And its white flowers.

It is essential to remain silent,

Appreciate what silence tells us.

At last the comes,

At last the eyelids close.

As Francisco Vargas Fernández wrote in his introduction; to read this book is to experience almost mystically all the emotions enclosed in a garden as a metaphor for the world and life accompanied by the loved one. A poetry that is read and perceived with the freshness of a snowflake and the warmth of desert sand:

We slept through the night

And when we awoke we did not go into the desert

For it was in our hearts.

Read: Majnun Layla as Seen by a Spanish Poetess

__________________

Ashraf Aboul-Yazid is a renowned Egyptian poet, journalist, novelist, travelogue writer and translator. He is author of around three dozen books and Editor-in-Chief of Silk Road Literature Series.

The post Virginia Fernández Collado, the Poet who Cultivated Desert by Poems! first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Devoid of clemency

Expelled from the empire of caresses

It does not know the trade

Of building closeness or prayers.

Mariela Cordero, a renowned and award-winning poetess from Venezuela, shares her poetry

Mariela Cordero. Born in Valencia, Venezuela (1985) is a lawyer, poet, writer, translator and visual artist. Her poetry has been published in several international anthologies. She has received some distinctions, among them: Third Alejandra Pizarnik Argentina Poetry Prize (2014). First Prize of the II Iberoamerican Poetry Contest Euler Granda, Ecuador (2015). Second Prize of Poetry Concorso Letterario Internazionale Bilingüe Tracceperlameta Edizioni, Italy (2015) Micropoems in Spanish Award in the III TRANSPalabr@RTE contest (2015). First Place in the International Poetry Contest #AniversarioPoetasHispanos mention literary quality, Spain (2016). Finalist Aco Karamanow International Poetry Prize, Macedonia (2022).César Vallejo World Prize for Literary Excellence (2023).  Sahitto International Award for Literary Excellence (2023). Third Prize in the Il Meleto Competition of Guido Gozzano, Italia (2024). She has published the following books of poetry: El cuerpo de la duda Editorial Publicarte, Caracas, Venezuela (2013) Transfigurar es un país que amas Editorial Dos Islas Miami, United States (2020). La larga noche de las jaurías Editorial Nautilus, Spain (2023). She has participated in several international literary meetings and festivals, among them: The Princeton Festival (United States), 2023 Kaohsiung World Poetry Festival (Taiwan), International Festival Poesía Xochimilco (Mexico) Her poems have been translated into Hindi, Czech,  Estonian, Serbian, Shona, Uzbek, Romanian, Macedonian,Korean, Hebrew, Bengali, English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Polish.Currently coordinates the sections #VenezuelanPoetry and #WorldPoets in the Poetry Magazine Poémame (Spain). Editorial Advisor of the magazine of the Institute of Symbology (South Korea).

THE HAND IN THE SHADOW

 There is a hand in the shadow

Devoid of clemency

Expelled from the empire of caresses

It does not know the trade

Of building closeness or prayers.

This hand

Bursts 

With the flutter of slaughter, 

Its movements foul

The waves

Of the assaulted body.

It tears with precision

The submissive skin,   

Baptizes the wound

And draws a line 

With his steel finger.

Only 

Wants to give you

The scar

***

SURRENDER

Surrender 

Like a story that melts

Expose 

The wrinkle and the scar

To reveal also

The strong smile of the body

To give to drink the cloudy water of the heart.

Surrender  

Barefoot

With no other attire than the candle

Of the indomitable eyes,

Pure

As one who surrenders

To death.

***

THE SENSED FEATURES

All the faces go astray 

On the journey, 

The hungry memory

Aspires to retain them

But the traces and signs

Are diluted in the tide of bewilderment.

In the crowd blooms

Immediate

Like a blow

A unique face

Unknown

That imposes itself

And unsettles you

Until you are pierced

By the fulminating joy 

Of ending the search.  

The beloved face

Gathers

 All the sensed features

***

THE INSCRUTABLE EYES

The inscrutable eyes 

That hide

Within galloping cities of steel, 

Are behind 

Thousands of other sleepwalking eyes. 

They are indomitable narcotics

That mutilate the helplessness

Soothe the screams

And pour out caresses.

When they emerge

 They take you by assault.

You know 

That you will die

 Invoking them.

***

ISLAND

 Far away,

Forged of oblivion

Besieged

By hungry waters

Lonely 

Hot sand.

 An island

 That calcines resembles your 

 Mouth.

***

THE FIRST

I am the first

I’m at the beginning

Of time

In the middle of the gloom

In the particle

Of this sunset

And to the edge

Of the collapse.

I am all

And none.

***

NAME

There is a name that I drink

Half solar alcohol, half secret water

There’s a name that I scream

 Mixed in the bustle of the others

There is a name that I caress

Piece of forest

Warm and persistent

There is a name

River, sweet arrow and sweat.

A name

That devours

My name.

***

FRAGILE AS THE ABSOLUTE

Fragile as

The absolute

In this way

Emerges

The caress

***

THE PACKS

When you first stepped

The soil of the capsizing kingdom

You forgot

Your inherited signs.

You didn’t raise your eyes again

To conjure the sky

And filled with flesh and earth

You eluded the inapprehensible map

Of the stars

Always in exodus.

The old religion was demolished

And never heard again

The incessant breathing

Of your morals

Without cracks.

You multiplied

In the feast

Of cuts and tears.

You followed the course of the packs.

Now

You have no name.

***

APPRENTICE

For each day

A baptism of fire

Avid trials

And unbreathable aftermath.

You burn

In the perpetual lesson

And in unrelenting dread.

You fear

That in the other

Territory

You will remain

Apprentice.

_____________________

Coordinated by Angela Kosta Executive Director of MIRIADE Magazine, Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator, promoter

The post The Hand in the Shadow – A Bouquet of Poems from Venezuela first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Every moment of yours flows through me also,

Like a fire through the snow.

Corina Junghiatu, an internationally acclaimed poet from Romania, shares her poems

Internationally acclaimed Poet Corina Junghiatu was born on 12 April in 1981 in Romania. She is also writer and artist. She holds a master’s degree in Philology and Psychopedology from the University of Bucharest, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Letters and Philosophy. She can speak and write in five foreign languages. Corina has published two books of poetry titled Exile in Light and The Ritual of a Sunrise. Corina has received awards, medals, certificates and recognitions from various literary forums and organizations around the world for her brilliant literary works. She has achieved the “Gujarat Sahitya Academi Award” thrice on the occasion of the 74th, 75th and 76th Independence Day of India. She won the “Order of Shakespeare Medal -2021. She won the SahityaPata Award-2022 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the national poet of Bangladesh, Kazi Nazrul Islam. She is the Global Publishing Coordinator of Motivational Strips Literary Excellence Academy & Wisdom. She is also the Managing Editor of Medium and Creatividad International. She is the Chief Adviser of the “World Nations Writers’ Union,” Kazakhstan.

Because I Love You

Because I really love you,

I trust in you, I am your integrity and harmony,

I am patient with your weaknesses,

I am your spiritual partner.

Because I really love you,

Your needs and desires are essential,

I support you in your own ambitions and goals,

I give you space to flourish

And I becoming who you want to be!

Because I really love you,

I caress your hair and forehead,

I kiss your cheeks and your thoughts,

I fall asleep under your left shoulder,

Nestled in the night.

Because I really love you,

Every moment of yours flows through me also,

Like a fire through the snow.

Because I really love you,

I become a secret fluid of sacrifices,

I understand you and I forgive you!

Because I really love you.

***

First Mantra

I am love

Soul in the palm of your hand

Planted from the heart of heaven

To give you peace.

I am the white and gentle flame

That runs barefoot among significance

In search of balance with you.

I am a letter that drips on the conscience

To keep your dreams alive

And fill you atom by atom

With a caress

With a song

With a poem

With a profound light.

***

Sympathetic Intuition

I won’t be able to die as long as

The children of the planet

Are massacred in conflicts,

And the orphans surrounded by a void,

They are agonizing in a lullaby

Their fear of loneliness, and ignorance,

When them clenched lips cannot shout: Love!

I won’t be able to die as long as

Ample hatred growths

In all the graphs of the world,

And as long as love stops at dawn

When you undress me,

When I strip down to nothing

And we dress in folds of darkness!

I won’t be able to die as long as

The tree trunks, with leaves still green,

Falling and bleeding

To the last drop of chlorophyll,

Or when the ocean seems clad in silver,

And it is not the moon that is reflected

But there are poisoned fish!

I won’t be able to die as long as

Poetry is written in opacity and obscurity,

And remarkably sensitivities

Are flushed on a pyre.

I will not leave the silence as a testament,

But the scream of the song from the heart

Scratched with the fingers of my right hand

In the archives of the planet’s consciousness,

Because the swans of the world die singing.

***

Queen of Drama

They pushed you away with their hand as

Cold as a moon,

They rejected you with their teeth clenched in hatred,

They have overshadowed you by extinguishing the light of your dreams,

They built up a wall of contempt and hostility.

What have you become?

A Queen of Drama!

You sigh hesitation and fear,

Untold and severe pain,

Tears lost in eternal conflicts.

You twist into a victim,

And your dramas have become a hypnotic hotbed.

Where is your fault?

Are you righteous?

An imperative drama throbs in each of us,

I don’t expect you to understand my drama,

Nor I do condemn you to live in an eternal eclipse.

These lines come to bring you light!

Give up to your sinister chain main,

Give up to the sinister masks,

Cures apnea of your senses.

Resuscitate your life, sensitivity,

Feelings, vibration.

Does your victim aorta

At the correct pressure.

The fighters receive applause, and victim’s pity.

________________  

Read: Between Two Nights – Romanian Poetry Collection

The post Because I Love You – Bouquet of Poems from Romania first appeared on Sindh Courier.

All the promises flew away

Like clouds in the wind

I am sitting by the sea

And seeing the palace of memories collapsing.

Dr. Shailesh Gupta Veer, renowned for his multifaceted contributions as a poet, critic, reviewer, editor, shares his poems

Dr. Shailesh Gupta Veer stands as a luminary in the realm of literature, renowned for his multifaceted contributions as a poet, critic, reviewer, editor, and prolific award recipient. His literary oeuvre is distinguished by an unparalleled degree of creativity and authenticity, captivating readers across the globe.

Having edited approximately two dozen literary books and numerous magazines, Dr. Veer has played a pivotal role in shaping the contemporary literary landscape. His profound insights and editorial prowess have earned him widespread acclaim, solidifying his reputation as a visionary editor and curator of literary excellence.

Dr. Veer’s literary masterpieces have transcended linguistic boundaries, with translations of his works enriching the literary tapestry in numerous languages worldwide. His impact on the global literary community was underscored by his recognition as a Literary Icon in December 2018 by the esteemed TV program ‘You and Literature Today’ from Nigeria. Recently, his poem ‘Become Firefly’ has been presented in Hebrew in the international exhibition ‘Butterflies of Peace’ in Israel, along with poems by 21 selected poets from all over the world. The importance of his poems can also be understood by the fact that they have been broadcast on many platforms across the world.

As the esteemed editor of Micropoetry Cosmos and The Fatehpur Resolution, Dr. Veer continues to champion literary innovation and artistic expression, providing a platform for emerging and established voices alike to flourish. His unwavering dedication to the craft of writing and his commitment to fostering literary dialogue have earned him the admiration and respect of peers and readers alike.

DREAMS HAVE COME CRASHING DOWN

She loved me extremely deep

I loved her extremely deep

We also made many promises

In the delicate moments of love

In that planet of romance

There was no one except the two of us

The thrill of those pledges made our love deeper

We both had

A different earth

A different sky

There were only the two of us

In that supernatural world

Time has traveled a bit

We lost our earth and sky

All dreams have come crashing down

All the promises flew away

Like clouds in the wind

I am sitting by the sea

And seeing the palace of memories collapsing.

***

YOU’RE UNIMAGINABLE

Your soft heart attracts me all the time

Your holy mind calls me again and again

Your pious soul communicates with my soul

Your intense brain creates positivity in my brain

Your tongue fills fragrance in the atmosphere

Your intellectual beauty makes me crazy

Your vision gives me a new philosophy about life

Whenever I see you,

Thinking towards life becomes

More powerful and beautiful

You’re Shloks of great Indian epics

You’re Verses of Kalidasa

You’re poetry of Rumi

You’re Sonnets of Shakespeare

You’re Haiku of Basho

You’re so amazing, so gorgeous

So magnificent, so marvelous

So… so… so…!!!

My heart says again and again

You’re unique creation

Whom I was looking for centuries

You’re more wonderful than-

My each and every dream

My each and every desire

My each and every thought

My each and every fiction

You’re enormous

You’re prodigious

You’re unbelievable

You’re unimaginable…!!!

***

CENTURIES LATER

When I was reading a deep love for myself in her eyes,

She had completely dissolved in my breath.

When I was admiring her pink cheeks,

She had written her name in my heart.

When I gave her a red rose,

She gestured me to put that rose in her hair-

And as soon as I put that red rose in her hair,

So shy she was and lowered her head

Both we were immersed in immense love.

The sky wanted to take earth in his arms,

And the earth wanted to be lost in the arms of the sky!

Centuries later, the two souls were eager to merge with each other.

___________________

Received from Angela Kosta Executive Director of MIRIADE Magazine, Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator

The post Dreams have come crashing down – Poetry from India first appeared on Sindh Courier.

His heart bleeds, heart-burn; wild-fire.

Shakil Kalam, a renowned poet from Bangladesh, shares his poems  

Writer Shakil Kalam, born in Feni district of Bangladesh, received a Master’s Degree in Governance Studies from the University of Dhaka. Having also a diploma course on IAS and IFRS from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), he is known as a Central Banker, Corporate Governance and Internal Audit Specialist, Researcher, Poet, Translator as well as Child-Litterateur. He was engaged as an Additional Director in the Central Bank of Bangladesh. He attends as a keynote speaker in the seminars, symposiums and discussion meetings at Dhaka University and other private universities. His book “A Handbook of Corporate Governance in Bangladesh” is enlisted as a reference books and taught in several universities including the University of Dhaka. Shakil Kalam started writing in his boyhood.

The author has personally tried to discuss various inconsistencies, inequalities, disillusion, hypocrisy, human suffering and the degradation of human moral and social values in his writings. But in recent times, new dimensions have come in his writings. In his scathing writings, politics, economics, cultural aggression, economic class discrimination, social values, scarcity of democratic values and culture, lack of democratic governance and deficiency of institutionalization of democracy are vigorously highlighted.

He has been writing stories, poems, rhymes, essays, columns, and translated articles in different languages. His published book numbers are more than thirty-nine and are the best sellers. His poems have been translated into 40 languages around the world. He has travelled to India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Dubai, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia to participate in seminars, symposiums and conferences. Furthermore, he is the founder and administrator of the literary community group “Shahityapata.” He received various awards, certificates and honors from different international literary groups. Recently he achieved “Order of Shakespeare Medal- 2021” and “Gujarat Sahitya Academy Award-2021” and the World Welfare Council’s prize “Global Prestigious Award-2021” on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti 2021. Moreover, he is the member Dhaka University Political Science and Master in Governance Studies Alumni Associations. He is the Executive Editor of the international bilingual literary magazine titled “Dipon” as well as member of the global English literary journal’s Advisory Board of “ENGLIT” and “Unending Quest. He is the International Ambassador for the Chamber of Writers and Artists in Spain.

The Poetic Mind

You don’t want to see, the mind of a poet

His heart bleeds, heart-burn; wild-fire

If the bulb of his chest is removed;

Life on a pacemaker

Broken his all pride

The mystery of your smile today

It suppresses the desires deep in the heart

The poet is now trapped in dilemmas and qualms

You may not know, but the poet’s inside burning secretly

The body of a loved one is lying in his marble eyes;

The blue eyes girl from a far city is lying in his inked.

He wanted to build lifelong bonds.

Copper-colored Sulata pronounced “let’s go”

So that melancholic

Poet’s mind………………

All of his mirths are spoiled;

The breeze of the South window

Don’t you see, distressed surroundings

How silent the house is!

The dream poet is now only…

Clinging to the white paper.

***

On White Canvas

You built a temple of memory in the corner of my heart

Suddenly the memories began to fall like Nyctanthes

One day you sent a picture of your terminal/ultimate illness

Chanting about it, you have gotten lost quickly.

You disappear from social media….

Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp, IMO, Viber etc.

Millions of people want to know about you.

They have not seen your smiling face for a long time.

Devotees are distraught and afflicted without seeing your picture.

Suddenly you informed with the desire of the heart,

Bruises your hand; image of the bandaged hand.

The souls of your loved ones are shaken

Seeing your pathetic condition.

You crushed the love stored in the core of the heart.

Once again you are lost in the darkness of the new moon

The ice of faith is melting and entering into anxiety;

You have lost in the stars of the blue sky.

Oh dear, a little bit ago it rained flowers;

A very beautiful rainbow was seen in the eastern sky.

Your moon face is in the full moonlit night

Like a pole star;

It floated in the white canvas of the distant sky.

___________________

Read: Classic Water and Geometric Life – Poetry from Bangladesh

The post The Poetic Mind – Poetry from Bangladesh first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Stardust is gathering

In five-petal lilies!

Andromachi Benekou, a poet, puppeteer, painter, and author from Chouliarades, Ioannina, Greece shares her poems

Andromachi Benekou was born in Chouliarades, Ioannina, Greece. Her love for books and development pushed her to study Economics, Pedagogy and postgraduate studies in Learning Disabilities. At the same time, she is a poet, puppeteer, painter, and author. Her projects have been performed in many schools. Her puppet plays include poems she has been writing since high school. She has been distinguished for her voluntary activity in institutions of Ioannina, with the promotion of Greek literature and culture.

STARDUST

Love is a conqueror

Shoots silver arrows

But if it happens that you refuse him

It throws you into the marshes!

He is a fierce warrior

He holds you like a booty

As “slave” you follow

Your golden crown wears!

After the violent invasion

Flowers of the soul have withered

You are in divine court

Your spirit is enchanted!

You go through secret passages

Swallow tails fly low

You arrive at the Parthenon as a king

They wear your purple tunic!

 That’s where your life shines

In the stone-pillared alleys

Stardust is gathering

In five-petal lilies!

Unsuspecting you taste it

You think it is the nectar of the Gods

You never heal

Follower of the passions…

***

BIRTH

On earth the small island

Thousands of young storks

They go to sea, they arrive running.

With evening sky

Our home destination

They flutter a nest they do!

 On earth the small island

A child arrives

Of God’s path for years.

He lets out his first cry

Of joy is anticipation

He shines like a white viconia.

We all set up a dance

In our own sky

Anticipating songs of the wind

Which brings us to you

Treasure of the whole world

My perfect sea angel!

I will drink you like wine

Giving you a kiss

It resurrects from the darkness!

You bring the light with you

Clothed in purple

You sleep in hugs and caresses!

***

SONGSTER

My love is a vocalist

Away of the marshes

He is my only hymn

He will bring me to you.

To taste of your rainbow

Climax of honey

In your garden as soon as I come

From your heavenly arrows.

Peacock fans its wings

Cheeks flaming

After the heart was flooded

Pleasure from buds.

___________________

Received from Angela Kosta Executive Director of MIRIADE Magazine, Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator

The post Stardust – A Bouquet of Poems from the Greece first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Fahredin Shehu, an accomplished Independent Scientific Researcher, poet and multilingual writer from Kosovo, shares his poems

Fahredin Shehu, born in Rahovec, South East of Kosova, is an accomplished Independent Scientific Researcher with a focus on World Spiritual Heritage and Sacral Esthetics. Fluent in numerous languages, he has translated works into English, French, German, Italian, Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and many others. As an author, Fahredin has penned 20 books, including poems, essays, and novels, showcasing his diverse literary talents. Fahredin’s exceptional literary prowess has earned him prestigious accolades, such as the Naaji Naaman Prize for Poetry in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2016, and a nomination for the renowned Pulitzer Prize in 2017. Acknowledging his scholarly achievements, he was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the Universum Academy in Lugano, Switzerland, where he also holds a Lifetime Academic position. Beyond his academic pursuits, Fahredin actively fosters literature as the Director of the International Poetry Festival in Rahovec, Kosovo. Dedicated to preserving cultural education and heritage in Kosovo, Fahredin founded the Fund for Cultural Education and Heritage. His works have been translated in English, French, German, Italian, Finish, Estonian, Spanish, Greek, Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Slovenian, Bulgarian, Roma, Swedish, Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Russian, Romanian, Mongolian, Chinese, Maltese, Frisian, Sicilian, Bengali, Bhahasa, and Hindi.

He wrote many reviews, edited many books and anthologies, to mention: World Healing World Peace, Two volumes Anthology, Inner Child Press USA. He is the Member of World Association of Writers, World Poetry Movement, and Member of the Kosovo PEN Center; Laureate of gold medal for poetry as bridge to Nations, Axlepin Publishing, Philippines; Poet of the year 2014, Turkish Literary Magazine, IMZA, Yunus Emre Institute, Prishtina, Kosovo; Award winning Poet Agim Ramadani, Stubëll- 2014. Award winning Poet, Naaji Naaman Prize for Poetry, Beirut, Lebanon, 2016; Certificate of Merit- World Union of Writers, Mexico; Laureat of the first place, Silk Road Poetry Feastival, Year of the Tiger 2022, Beijing, China; Lifetime Academic Universum Academy Switzerland  and World Poetry Movement- Columbia, Coordinator for Kosovo.

The Lament of the Earth

How zeal fully you’ve preserved

The foreign narratives

You’ve adopted them

To sell them latter like a fog of all colours

Even today there are others-

Sufficient to compete as who shall more and who shall better keep the foreign past, and

There are others who strive to break every membrane

To create new bio-algorithms

To uplift the life to another plane

To another dimension

Yet there will be Men

That will observe the World

Here with the borrowed eyes

They will fold new images

In layers just like the fog

Thickens up in this sky with a sole Sun

…and those who still want degustation

A fresh wine and

Dry artisan cheese,

Petals of the May’s roses

For a refreshment drink and a jam

When one day the exodus occurs

Will Earth colonies remember the homeland they left behind or they will only like a snake that chucked its skin, never turn their head back

Go, experience the emptiness you’ve created, but go aiming the return because

This Mother again shall await you open-armed

Shall long for quite some time accompanied with sounds of Cello, Santoor, Piano and the chirping voices of the birds with the wings of all rainbow colours

When in your recesses you hold your child

Tell them that somebody here knew your repentance

Tell them a bit about the greed you took away

Like the dowry which will fly above the weight-less Souls of yours

And that you’ve measured everything with the human scale

Tell them about the Dice of Life and Death

…and the Death that defiled bearing heavy shadow wearing black brocade gown spreading fear all over

Tell them about the World with the two Suns and with the pointing finger toward the Earth- toward Me, this blue dew of Mercy that buries every evil in her chest

Tell them about the stars you’ve counted while in your fingers nipples appeared

Tell them about the balloons of snivel from your noses while playing the sweat drops leaked down the neck

Tell them about wasps buzzing in your curly hair and

About the pond where swans were playing while blue metallic colour demoiselle mingled among cattails

Tell them about Love you’ve tasted

But never succeeded to understand

…about death for God’s sake

The death of your most beloved and the pain it caused

Tell them at the end about the Separation and the wounds it incurred.

Go, try the emptiness you’ve created solely

But go with the aim of return because

This Mother shall again wait openheartedly

Will long for some plus time

Under the shade of wild Chestnut Tree while bees collect the nectar

For some other life

***

We knew not the separation

Statured amidst dews of petty things,

I returned refreshed with

Lungs full of Myrtle and Pine fragrance,

Seeking serenity in a grotesques trammeling

Of worn–out Spirits I roam,

Jostling fears and hopes and forgetting brand new linen I ought to wear– the only thing to be buried with,

…and the linen written all over

With Saffron and Rosewater

All of my poems I was unable

To write on Friendship,

For the poet’s sensitive Soul

Who once lived in the Constellation of Peace- the same I want to rebuild here,

And the bright stars felt upon the wombs

Of our mother’s shall bear witness.

One day when from the bleach-white

Or rather Neon–light skeleton of mine,

The shine shall emit the rays

From the sky– wide dome.

Again I returned from the mossy ruins

I was seeking the Beauteousness of your being and you remember the wine we drunk

Even before we knew not the separation.

And there was none!

As the souls of ours merged a long time ago and for eternity and a day more.

***

Let it be one night more

On the dark muslin of the night

And the evaporating ouch disperses throughout

It was someone galloping with heavy brocade apparel and overdone

Jewelry from the feet to the head top

That broke my silence for far too long

I utterly in awe exclaimed for God’s sake:

“Let it be one night more…

Only one night to prolong life and

Leave all elixirs, balms and cures behind

All hexes, potions and casted oaths

Throughout either

That one day I will become!”

..Yet I became a Talismanic Temple of Grandeur

To be ruined by earthquakes, temptations, pleasures and delights,

And in this mossy ruin one could find a solace

For only one day more

Pardon me

One more night of survival.

_________________ 

Read: I’m not begging you – Poetry by Flora Peci, an eminent poet and prose writer from Kosovo

The post The Lament of the Earth – A Bouquet of Poems from Kosovo first appeared on Sindh Courier.

The journey beyond awaits for me not.

It is I, who, wait for it to come.

Come and wrap me in your arms,

Unfold my journey beyond.

Tasneem Hossain, a renowned multi-lingual poet from Bangladesh, shares her poems

Tasneem Hossain, majoring in English Language and Literature is a multi-lingual poet from Bangladesh. She writes poems in English, Urdu and Bengali. She is also a columnist, fiction and op-ed writer, translator, educator and trainer. Her impactful writings appear frequently in esteemed publications worldwide like: Human Rights Art Movement, Wordsmith International Editorial, Southern Arizona Press, MockingOwl Roost, Setu, Pen magazine, Valiant Scribe, Prodigy Magazine (USA), Borderless Journal (Singapore), Discover Mississauga and More-eBook, Mindtalkers (Canada), Dark Thirty Poetry Publishing, Krishnochura (UK), Polis Magazino, Homo Universal (Greece), Borderless Journal (Singapore) Worvid and Homagi International Magazines (Indonesia), INNSÆI Journal, Cultural Reverence, MicroPoetry Cosmos, The Fatehpur Resolution, TAAHIRA E- ZINE, Khwahish (India), Sindh Courier (Pakistan), Orfeu.al (Kosovo), Alessandria Today (Italy), Atunis Galaxy Poetry (Belgium), Gazeta Destinacioni (Albania), EDAS Chronicle, The Dhaka Literature, An Ekushey Anthology, Dhaka Prokash 24.com, bdnews24.com, The Daily Star, The Business Standard, Asian Age Online, Daily Observer (Bangladesh). She is an author of three poetry books: ‘Grass in Green,’ ’The Pearl Necklace,’ ‘Floating Feathers’ and a book of articles ‘Split and Splice’. Four more books are underway.

Poetry, to her, is music through words; an ever-flowing river reflecting all that surrounds us. As an author, she tries to spread message of love, hope, mercy and create an awareness of social responsibilities and human rights. She worked as faculty of English Language in CUET. She is the director of a prominent human resource development organization Continuing Education Centre (Bangladesh) and Cansaz Services and Distribution LLC (Canada). She has 27 years of experience as a professional trainer. She runs an international poetry writing project and group named Life in Lyrics. A sportswoman, she also worked as newscaster, commentary reader and radio presenter in radio Bangladesh for 10 years and directed dramas like Shakespeare’s, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

The Journey Beyond

The journey beyond awaits for me not.

It is I, who, wait for it to come.

Come and wrap me in your arms,

Unfold my journey beyond.

Why must we feel sorrow on our demise?

From the very beginning we belong to that existence divine.

When God meant us all to rise,

We fell when Adam and Eve sinned, with Satan’s design.

Here, we are all confined,

Working our ways to our lives, redefine;

Or, yet again, yield to devil’s disastrous malign.

We must all pine to shine.

Let’s redeem our lives from that disgrace.

Do powerful, positive things for human race.

Take nature and everything living in love’s embrace.

Let this journey lead us, at its own pace.

Welcome that final life with grace.

***  

Silence

Dark clouds hovered across the sky.

Tightness choked her throat, she yearned to die;

Sleep, a wanderer, roaming around on a deserted land,

Heartaches have left her with peace denied.

The phone shrieked through the silence.

The wait was over, she jumped and pranced,

Out of the bed, she ran, with what to say all planned.

‘Hello’ she chuckled.

Torrents of abuse

Why, why, why? And don’ts!

So many why’s and don’ts.

What could she say?

Click…..

Standing like a stone, her heart bled.

Dragged and dumped her on the bed;

The thunderous silence of the night,

Grinding its teeth chewing her heart in contempt;

Suddenly the world rolled upside down.

Chaotic sound buzzed inside her crown,

Dogs barking, cars honking amidst the crowd,

Crashing lightening crackled clouds;

And then again sad silence reigned.

She stayed awake, it started to rain.

Soaked in water her pillow drenched;

Miserable she lay awake and wrenched.

Morning grey lights darkened the room.

Time dragged by slowly in gloom;

Flushed cheeks and swollen eyes,

Lips charred with incessant cries.

Stomach churning in pain and thirsty mouth,

Aching head and burning breath of youth;

Dizzy and dark deep sleepy eyes,

Dragging drudgery of unfortunate time;

The sun set and then an easy calm,

Silvery moon and thousands of stars spark.

Criinnggg….

Her heart misses a beat,

Tears roll down her cheeks;

With trembling hands, she picks the phone;

‘Hello’ her voice breaks as she moans.

Sweetly, softly he explains his case,

In calm reassuring way things of relevance;

Never saying ‘Sorry’ but saying it all,

With his imploring voice and chivalrous tone;

She smiles and listens, her eyes are wet.

As always not letting her speak and rest,

He hangs up the phone, lest he again be upset;

She wants for him all that is best.

Honest he is and has passed his test,

Child at heart, unique and above the rest;

Hurting anyone not in his veins, she knows;

Only needs, to control angry outbursts to glow.

Dancing her way to the bed she swirls,

Beautiful butterflies, rain music fills;

Sweet silence sings a lullaby,

To the yearning eyes so brown;

Tenderly in the arms of sleep she drowns.  

***

This is my life

If death comes now, I will brush it aside.

I will go on lighting the candle of life.

Give music to each breath of mine,

Receive God’s gifts with arms open and wide.

Live my life with zest, dignified.

If death comes to take me now with pride,

It will be ashamed, in its own stride.

________________  

Read: Time Dimension – Poetry from Bangladesh

The post The Journey Beyond – A Bouquet of Poems from Bangladesh first appeared on Sindh Courier.

And let the wordplay

Guide your life’s play.

Sushant Thapa, an eminent poet and writer from Nepal, the Himalayan country, shares his poems

Sushant Thapa (born on 26th February, 1993) is an award-winning poet from Biratnagar, Nepal who holds Master’s degree in English literature from Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi, India. He has published five books of English poetry, namely: The Poetic Burden and Other Poems (Published in New Delhi, 2020), Abstraction and Other Poems (UK, 2021), Minutes of Merit (Kolkata, 2021), Love’s Cradle (New York, USA and Senegal, Africa, 2023) and Spontaneity: A New Name of Rhyme (New Delhi, 2023). His sixth book is ready, and about to go to the press. Sushant works as a lecturer of English in Biratnagar, Nepal. He is also the assistant editor of Himalaya Diary, an online portal published from the capital city Kathmandu of Nepal.   

WORDPLAY: A GAME OF LIFE

I will be taking a long flight

Above the flames of

Destructive imagination.

Nature is my mirror;

I am afresh with

The playful sun

In the spring’s garden.

A slight drizzle of rain

Is my romantic companion.

Poetry comes fresh

From the deep well of life.

A resolute determination

To save what will last

Will be my attire.

Come, hold my hand

And let the wordplay

Guide your life’s play.

Wordplay is

A literary construction

I want to make it

Life’s literary component,

Which is also

A source of happiness.

***

BLOOD AND GROUND

 I want to write

Of the hunger.

I want to write

Of the blood dripping hunt,

That searches for a peaceful

Ground.

Blood is only better

If turned to consolation.

A dripping blood drop

Might be searching

For a peaceful ground.

Have we ever asked the blood

If it is tired of its spill?

Grief can be changed to poetry,

Anger can be changed to expression.

Let the lights shine

And replace the delights of darkness.

There is no pain

Other than stifled progress.

You lose the day,

But the night carries

The resting revival in its pockets.

__________________

Received from Angela Kosta Executive Director of MIRIADE Magazine, Academic, journalist, writer, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, translator

The post Wordplay: A Game of Life – Poetry from Nepal first appeared on Sindh Courier.