Poems by Shafkat Aziz Hajam

Poem
I.IAMNOTBARREN

Iamnotbarren,
Myfecundityhasnotdwindledyet.
EnoughasbeforetobringforthblossomsofallsortsandIdo.
Alas!Frequentinvasionofatrociousautumn
Debilitatestheirpotencytobloominfull
Toshowmygreatnessintheirdaintinessandredolence
Thatwould,oncecaptivateavesfromoverseas
Towarbleinpraiseofmynature.
OHeaven!Freemefromthisbrutishautumn,
Can’tendureitanymoremore.
Toglitterwithmyflair,
Letclementspringreignovermeasbefore.

2.HOWTOFULLFILLDREAMSTHERE

Howtofulfilldreamsthere
WhereoneoftentakesbreathInthenetoffearofdisappreance
Andofdeath.
Andwhereonecarriesmorecoffinsbutpalanquinsfew,
Notmanyraimentsforweddings,
Moreshroudsaretosew.
Howtofullfilldreamsthere
Whereeverymomentpassesinwailsandyowls
Andyouthsdecayindingyjails.
Whereonewhilefishingfishesoutacorpse
Ofamother’sonlyprogenyandsuccor,
Beheadedormutilatedandputrified
Orstillfromhiswoundsisdrippingbloodofinnocence.
Howtofullfilldreamsthere
Wherechildhoodiscaged,divestedofitsjoys
Wherederangedmothers(asiftheirsons)
Arelullabyingtoys.

3.DON’TAVERTYOURGAZE

Don’tavertyourgaze.beholdthesecemeteries.
Thevoicesforpeaceandaversetoslavery,
Theeyesantitotyrannyandthealtruistichearts
Forthepersecutedareinterredhere.
Don’tavertyourgaze.Beholdthesecemeteries!
Thebuttressesforthedecrepitandthecomfortsforthepained,
Thejoysforthedejectedandtheglimsforthedark
Areinterredhere.
Don’tavertyourgaze.Beholdthesecemeteries!
Thementorsofmynationanditspride,
Theprogressofmynationanditsidentity
Areinterredhere.
Don’tavertyourgaze.Beholdthesecemeteries
Thegallantpatriotsofmynation,thatleftmoralforthecoward
Slaves,
Theupshotsofthetyrannousreignandevenofthetraitors
Areinterredhere.

Shafkat Aziz Hajam,isachildren’sPoetfromKashmirIndia.
Heistheauthorofavaluebasedchildren’spoetrybooktitledasThecuckoo’svoiceandmediasecretaryofaliteraryorganizationtitledasIdarieTehqeequAdabJammuandKashmir.Healsoworksinasprivateschoolteacherinhistown,Handwara,D
istrictkupwara,Srinagar.HispoemshavebeenpublishedinWheelSonganthology,UKandP.L.O.T.Screativesmagazine,theUSA,Florida.