Learning to Breathe

UNWEBBED With cool dew waking up the drowsy woods, Dazed by the perfume of jasmines divine, Amidst a lush labyrinth of lilting leaves, Lies a flimsy dwelling of glassy white. Eight fingers crawl between the latticed blinds Expanding their fortress, conquering woods, Circling, ensnaring the innocent fly, Trapped within blades of the hypnotic web. Pleased with her might, tarantella performed, A commanding glory, to her is due - But a little songbird comes bolting through, The fortress vanquished, dauntlessly it flew. Credulous be that flies to traps and death, With wide wings, rather soar to challenge threats. - Maryam Kaleem

CHANGE What do you do when change falls on you  Like a bolt of lightning? When the world spins and spins, Making you dizzy and insane, And the blue roof above your head Collapses and shatters into bits, And within each shard you see yourself -  Bloodied, broken. You stand alone in a world Suspended in empty chaos. No life breathes. No leaf moves. No breeze brushes against your skin. Bodies lie dead like fallen dominoes. Death prevails at center stage. But the corpses rise once more Pale as leper's skin, The wind begins to howl - Now cold and biting. Leaves bleed their color Setting fire to the trees, While the moon smirks as she cloaks The world with witchcraft. Change ushers in a netherworld, The mind snatched from the bower it holds on to, Memories frozen into streams of ice, Dreams burning away blinded eyes, And with it, extinguished lies the soul. A mere body, an empty vessel - Awaiting judgement. ...

This is a revised version of my earlier poem 'The Candle'. CANDLE OF MOTHERHOOD Upright and confident she shone, A light amidst devils of old. Sheltering her enchanted child, From fiery fiends of the night. A candle with the power to light New beams, and embers of the past. A home where happiness abounds, Where wretched  ignorance stays out. Away now I lie from her sight, Away I linger in the dark. Now old I am, but wiser she Who warned me of my own follies. Still deep I fall into the pit With shadows now engulfing me. But from the corner leaps a spark, Her final breath to protect me. - Maryam Kaleem

LAND LOST Where green blends with orange And merges into the very land, Where vast expanses of fertile plains Salute the mellow sun at dawn! To this union of emeralds set in gold I pledge my heart. Where orange skies burst with glee Showering mercy, extending joy To the young flowers plated with gold below - A festival of summer suited for the gods! To this abundance of colour I pledge my heart. Where verdant gardens leap forth with madness In tune with the music of the summer palaces Whose domes once echoed with haunting rhythms of the mystic. The earth engulfed in song! To this pious melody I pledge my heart. Where towering mountains shield the colours within, Their white caps melting into silver streams, That help bleed the red into the green - A sight stolen from the gardens of Paradise! To this divine canvas I pledge my heart. But, The sun now burns the land with a deep grudge, Piercing the hearts of the gardens t...

THE CANDLE Upright and confident it shone all night, And every night since its glow faded not. Enlightening sunless paths, enhancing sight, A guardian angel midst a gloomy lot. One candle with the power to ignite A million more. Young, polished, fairy-like, Inspired they are to put up a fight 'Gainst the devil's shadows - strike upon strike. One candle, a shield opposing the dark, One candle to shelter the soul within. One candle, warning the son from its spark, One candle, burning for me its own skin. Now molten, its bright flame leaps higher still, One final caution for the child who sins. - Maryam Kaleem

REVENGE A feather floating in the wind she is. Not knowing what will face her, not knowing What she will become. All but left to chance. Now, a sunny sprite dancing in the breeze, With gentle footsteps mingling with the grass, With keen eyes searching for dewy clovers, With melodies in rhythm with the woods. Content, happy, with a curious mind! Yet - storm clouds sent from Hell gather with force, Plunging into darkness those gaping eyes Blinded by talons of fire and frost! That tender soul no more shall thrive, but be Cursed by the wrath of the bird wrought with blades Whose feathers she once plucked and plucked away. - Maryam Kaleem

AN ANGEL'S PLIGHT Racing through, headlong into the darkness, No reason to lighten the heavy brow. Encompassed by noise, disease and madness, While in unsteady hands lies a stretched bow. Though I am sure to miss the devil's mark, I'm obsessed with a burning desire To let go, let my arrow pierce the shark And watch the villainous world burn in fire. Pause! take a moment and let me restrain This hand chiseled in the Almighty's name. Must I sin and have my wings plucked in vain Only to play the devil at his game? Racing through, headlong into the darkness, A heart yearning for rays of forgiveness. - Maryam Kaleem

VEILED VOICES The setting sun may frown and scowl at it, Arrogant, believing it's seen the world. Yet it has shone o'er the East before it, Where the journey began, where life unfurled. Black cloaks against the golden desert sand, Veiled, concealed - unmistakably human. Hearken to the voices and understand The robust, resonant power of women. Stormy tempests may maraud continents, But veils live on immortal, forever. Standing steady with growing confidence, Enlightened minds - a towering figure. The veil she wears with conscious volition Just one prayer - Long Live the Revolution! - Maryam Kaleem

This is another write-up submitted by me for an English assignment. Thought I'd upload it - since the blog has been starving since a year! Would like to know your views. IS VIOLENCE JUSTIFIED IN THE PURSUIT OF FREEDOM? Violence alone can never be justified. However, violence in the pursuit of freedom has plagued political philosophers for centuries. In every circumstance, when human rights have been denied beyond a certain extent, people have revolted violently. I believe that violence is wrong. Violence is inhuman. To take the life of an innocent victim is brutal. It is ruthless and savage. In it there is no benefit whatsoever. But then a new question arises. Freedom. There is a tipping point in all humans, beyond which, no amount of perseverance can be withstood. It is the point after which the human body and mind cannot endure the oppression any longer. In response to this injustice, torture, and persecution, violence is the last resort of the despera...