Replacement
by Muhammad Shanazar
Amid the village is a deserted house,
That gives depressing impressions to the onlookers,
The windows and doors are shabby broken
There dangle bats on the walls at nights, and crows caw
At noons in the branches where nightingales sang,
And often at nights mysterious sounds we hear.
Ah! Four decades ago it was inhibited,
Noise of the children spilled out of its walls,
They all played hide and seek with the befriended kids.
I too played believing in the innocent notion
That time and tide could not part us asunder,
Whether rains rain and clouds thunder,
But my self-assumed belief proved fragile,
Then the shocking moments approached,
And occupants departed to a better dwelling abroad.
I often recall the moment when they departed,
The whole village gathered, men, women and children wept,
Their eyes were red as if blood would drop soon;
They were kissing, embracing the departing fellows,
I wept too stealthily, and felt as if my soul was being torn apart.
Now after many years their descendants come and go,
Nobody receives or bids them farewell, nor do they bother anyone,
And each time they visit, they replace on the gate,
The rusty lock with the new one.
From:
Muhammad Shanazar |
About MuhammadShanazar
Biography
Muhammad Shanazar, a famous contemporary poet from Pakistan, was born into a poverty stricken family in a village of Sub Division Gujarkhan District Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on 25th Nov., 1960. His father served in Pakistan Army; he was recruited by the colonial rulers when he was only 10 years old. On the day he was recruited, he wore only a shirt given by someone from the neighbourhood considering him an orphan child. Muhammad Shanazar got his early education from the local school. He passed his SSC Examination from Government High School Mandra, Intermediate from Government Hashmat Ali Islamia College, Rawalpindi, graduation from Gordon College, Rawalpindi, and M.A in English Literature, from University of the Punjab. After post graduation he served three years as a constable in Police Department. He found it uncongenial to his temperament and decided to leave it, meanwhile luckily he came upon an opportunity to join the Department of Education (Technical Wing) to render his services as a lecturer in English Language and Literature. After holding this position for seventeen years, he was promoted Assistant Professor, and at present he is serving at Government College of Commerce at Kahuta. He started seriously writing poetry with specific purpose behind it in 1998. He chose English to express the voice of his conscience. The prime objective he has been working for is to make humanity aware of the sanctity of human life i.e. “A single drop of human blood possesses more worth than all treasures that the Earth contains”. Voices Network from North Carolina U.S.A placed him among the prominent contemporary poets by awarding him the International Special Distinction “Poet in Residence” in 2004. Since then being one of the Poetry Judges of online international poetry contests hosted by Voices Network, he has been judging the poems. He also worked as an International Poetry Ambassador in Pakistan on the behalf of Voices Network, North Carolina and held several poetry reading sessions, to promote peace through poetry. Poemhunter of France and Bollywood of India chose him one of the ‘Top 500 Poets in the World’, World Society of Poets bestowed upon him honour by placing him among the prominent contemporary poets of the world. Govt. of Pakistan, Ministry of Education awarded him the award of “Promotion In Children Literature” with the cash prize. Muhammad Shanazar received appreciation from all around the world for his highly intellectual work.
