I stood where nothing I could – Poem by Muneeb Tahir Saleemi

 

I stood where nothing I could

Oh my child! I knew they ruined your day

I was noticing, couldn’t jump in, but pray

That women attired in blue had alot to say

Because you preferred isolation, a place to your stay

I was hiding and eavesdropping near the tree on your way

She yelled at you , a devil against angel,  harshly portrayed

What was the harm if you weren’t joining them?

Demons attack on survivors, finding being different when.

You had loved for butterflies, what was absurd there?

To this ugly miss, who mocks tortoise,like a hare.

But, what were your companions,then doing?

Laughing, taking a bite, some sugarcane chewing?

So cleverly innocent in solacing tears flowing

But all your sorrows went to the flowers for knowing

As they pacified the horror on your cheek while growing

Trying to lettin’ your bygones be going and going

If I were your teacher, I’d gather those monsters in circle

And would have beaten them with bamboo sticks

So that they would be embrassed and feel humble

Laughter is good medicine  ,but not when someone’s sick.

But , my lady, the time was fast to travel ahead

You’d be thinking it foolish to remember that instead

Before narrating it in lullabies while making your children bed

Those faces for you unknown, those cheeks not red

That fun you wanted in picnic turning into a dread

Responsible parenting requires forgiving that tear – shed

Your past always leave behind a scar some dark marks

The rational, present, asking to cut those unknown call

While fishing now, makes no sense, to aim for gone sharks

Time going old, bigger are problems, complain appear small

What with misfortune happened,go unchanged

But for cautions you’d save the army you trained

From the bad experiences that nostalgically exists

Become a new song for them that with resilience persists

Let it not happen to pinkish barbies, fairies and angels

Who seems fairly happy

When you bring for them Pirandah, Hennah and colourful bangles.

 

Muneeb Tahir Saleemi 🖋️

Student of M.phil English Literature, University of Lahore

Student of B.ed , Virtual University

 

Photo by Sohail Chaudhry on Unsplash