by Muhammad Shanazar
I went through
This busy bazaar
Yesterday;
Here sat a man
With the wares of bangles,
And fake ornaments,
Who chanted with a melodious sound,
Echoing, mingling,
Into the evening gale,
And around him sat some damsels,
With overflowing emotions,
Selecting the ornaments
Trying them on fingers,
And delicate wrists.
There sat an old man:
A fruit-vendor selling oranges,
And claiming them the rarest in the land.
I can recall the beheld smile on his face,
And shine in the eyes.
There beside the electric-pole,
Lay a man with amputated legs,
And each passerby threw a coin or two,
In the begging-bowl,
Place in front, and went on with penitence.
I n the middle
There stood a steak-seller,
Who fanned fire of coals,
And with agility turned over
The spicy steaks,
Forked on the iron-spikes;
A few men gathered around,
Ate them with relish, and I too
Passed by with a drooling mouth.
Beside him stood a toy-seller,
The kids dragged behind the parents,
When they passed by,
With a wish to afford them
Balls and balloons.
In that corner
There sat a fortune teller;
Around him sat the young boys
Spreading their palms,
Anxious to know about their future,
And the palmist described to them,
Stars and crosses, and hair on
The lines of life, heart and mind.
Ah! Today the spot is lamenting,
Just a few hours ago,
Have been gathered,
Human shreds, bones and skulls,
Limbs and legs,
Placed jumbled, indiscriminate,
In the ambulances.
A few remains left behind
Of destroyed vehicles,
Of blackness of soot mingled
Into redness of human blood,
Of explosives: a pungent smell.
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ABOUT THE POET ~
Muhammad Shanazar is a poet from Pakistan, he started his career from very humble beginnings. In his early age he did all odds jobs, he ploughed farms, grazed of the cattle, mowed grass, sold vegetables, cut wood for fuel etc. He went school bare-feet and learnt alphabet of English at the age of 10. He had keen interest in getting education and his hard work led him to the heights of success. After having done Master in English Literature, he served for three years in Police Department then he got an opportunity in Higher Education Department as a lecturer. Now he is Associate Professor and on the verge of retirement, he emerged as a poet and translator in the world and got many international awards and literary honours. He is recipient of:, • Universal Inspirational Poet., • World Icon of Peace, • The International Best Translator 2012, • 1st Four Stars Ambassador in the World, • Admin of 400 Portals of World Union of Poets, • Naji Naaman Literary Laureate Prize 2015, • Extraordinary Ambassador for Gratis Culture, • Poet of the World, Cross for Peace, • Cross for Literature, • Pride of Pakistan, • Herbert Macaulay Award, • Nominee for the Nobel Prize 2015, • World Laureate in Literature 2017, • Pride of the Globe, • Literaurnost Gold Award, • The World Best Poet 2017, • Pride of the Globe 2017, • Ambassador of Humanity, • Poetic Galaxy Award, • Ambassador of Justice and Peace, • Ambassador De Literature, • Connoisseur De Poetry 2018, • one of The Best Six Writers of the World, • A Certificate of Recognized from UNESCO, • Noble Star for Literature 2018, • Global Literature Guardian Award 2018, • The World’s Most Inspirational Writer’s Award, • World Icon of Literature, • World Ambassador of Literature, • Temirqazyq The Best Poet of The World 2018, • Master of War Imagery, • Global Doves of Peace, • Living Legend Of 21st Century, • Honoured Poet of Pakistan, • Mentor of World literature, • Nominee for The Alternative Nobel Prize 2020 (Livelihood Award), • World Icon of Peace by World Parliament of Peace., • Anton Chekhov Award, The State of Crimea, Russia., • Master of Creative Impulse by Philosophic Poetica and Grand Production Canada., • Certificate of Achievement by Munir Mezyed Foundation for Arts and Culture, Romania., • Film and Literature International Award by World English Writers Union, India., • HIS EXCELLENCY Yasser Arafat Peace Award 2019., • Global Icon of World Peace, literature and Culture by Galaxy International Foundation, India., He is a life-time member of IPTRC China and International Writer Association (IWA), USA, Senator World Parliament of Literature, Dean-Poetry Critic and Assessment at Motivational Strips Academy of Literary Excellence and Wisdom. He is the Secretary General of World Institute for Peace Nigeria, 2nd Secretary General of World Union of Poets, Italy and the First Vice President of World Nations Writers’ Union Kazakhtan. He has been conferred upon Honourary Doctorate in Peace and Humanitarian Education. He writes against war, his work has been published worldwide in different anthologies., His published and unpublished books are Gems, The Cold Stars, The Dance of Darkness, Cries In The Wilderness, Voyages and Visions, The Black Roses, The Scent Of Love and Bells Of The Bygone Days. His translated books are The Alien Eyes’ ‘Wrist in the Clutches of Death’ ‘A Tempest In Silence, ‘Sugar Coated ‘Symphony and other Poems’ ‘Snowy Sunlight’ The Coin of Death, ‘A Garland of Poems’ Withering Dreams, A Saga of Love and The Crop Of Stars., For more information his name may be search on google.
Last updated July 01, 2011