Poetry Ambassador Program Reading Welcome

Asifur Rahman

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Irregularity

Where am I?

How far can freedom be
When my window is opening wide
To cease within its expansive opening
(Like the borders of a painting)
The curious flow
Of the river of riddles?

The fairy-tale horizon
Is closing in on me
And the chirping of tender nymphs
Is slipping through my mind
To dance at a comfortable distance
Forever.

The immortal peacock
Suffuses his colours
To seduce the dense, dark princess
Of the thunderous clouds
To purge my land
Of the 'you' in me.

And, how far can freedom be?

And who are you?
(Which one of you are you?)

Are you one of the delirious
Who fool themselves with desire
In the wilderness
Of luminous geometric?

Who planted
In your collective impulse
This simultaneous growth
Of knowledge and ignorance?

Should the air of harmony
Unite with a poet
For relieving realities
To drift by?

Should my black crow
Fly in the sky
You felt never before?
Where everything is
Timeless and truer,
Rhythmic and lively?

Time tends to elude our conscious grasp.
In order to prevent the intrusion of unnerving clarity,
A primordial fear of the ultimate
Creates and nurtures in us an enigma -
The wheels of our time
Always moving through the regular details.
Unless our worlds wriggle through the arrangements
The relative significance of which
Our senses can habitually perceive,
We are afraid,
We shall dissolve into their absence one-day.

Yes, time might run away.
It runs out
When a spirit
Interprets no more.

And, when it happens,
When interpretation is over,
When there is no time,
One may either live or be dead
Eternally.

And..... isn't it
What it's all about?

Reply before the frenzied visions and words start to think.
Reply before they sink into a superficial silence.

Govind Singh

Delhi, India

The Sun Will Rise Again

Tried your best, but couldn't succeed.
Think its over, I can't lead.
Among the standing crops, I'm just a wilting weed.
Waiting for the farmer's blade or the stray cattle to feed.

If you think it's over, think again.
Just for a minute, forget the pain.
Or the humiliation, that defeat has brought.
And look up in the sky, to the greatest battle ever fought.

The sun rises every morning.
And struggles hard to stay up there.
But the earth brings it down by dusk.
And by night, it is no-where.

This it has been doing, ever since.
And so far all its efforts have gone in vain.
But tomorrow morning, no matter what.
The sun will rise again.

Darryn Murphy

Christchurch, New Zealand

Truth & Love

Beyond the sounds of thunder
The ancient ways whisper upon the winds of change
For the heart shall beckon to know the light of love
While the lonesome dove soars high above

The shifting sands
The sweeping rains
The light of the moon is a beautiful sight
As the stars shine throughout the night

By the light of the heavens
A signing of love
A gift to the heavens and the lord above
Am i so bold to think that my thoughts are enough?
As i walk within the light of our love

Are we the regatta of a crewless ship?
That sails upon the crest of the waves
In an endless search for truth and love

Are we the winds that move throughout time?
Can we hear the sounds of the seventh sign?
Am i torn with the pain that's in this heart of mine?
With the thoughts of my mind and the light of my soul
I shall walk within the light that makes me whole

Grace Joyner

Pennsylvania, USA

Tree

Sanctify every tree branch
whose twigs brush you by chance
give thanks leaning under a willow
brown bark becomes a steady pillow
lay back your head and scratch
peer into each hole unlatched
and find little animals there
or higher up in the air
leaves are silk on hairs of your face
in this state little worries erase
boughs drops down surrounding you safely
nothing is hurried and nothing hasty
those watching can see you there
but folks can come from anywhere
a haven of nature is where you be
contemplating to relax peacefully.

Zaynab Armstrong-Jones

London, England

Loving Being Me

Loving being me
means loving who I am,
who my family is,
whatever secrets
that we have,
for I am proud
of every little thing
that I am,
that I represent.

Loving me
is loving life,
is being free
to love others
and be loved in return,
loving me,
is loving truth,
loving clearly,
with much to find
in attraction and beauty,
much to see and view,
with much to say
without a tongue
of much slander.

Loving me,
is loving the picture
that makes me
who I am ,
that makes love
who I am with
and whom I will be with
it is the satisfaction,
of having and loving
and falling into the arms,
of the one that brings me love
that finds me fortune
to want and to love
and be happy to have that secret
of loving me,
just for who I really am.

Courtney Cooper

Ohio, USA

I Write

My heart tells the truth
On my paper is what I write
My brain tells me what to do
While my pen brings me to new heights
I write when life lets me down
When there's nobody to lean on
When the war has ended
But nobody has won
I write when peace
Is nowhere to be found
My words are the keys to locks
On chains that have me bound
I write...

Hillary Summerlin

North Carolina, USA

The New Kid

I enter the crowded room
heart pumping, eyes darting.
the new kid.

I stand in front of my peers
legs shaking, mouth twitching.
the circus act.

I sit at a nearby chair
hands sweating, brain flashing.
the intruder.

I timidly raise my hand
ego boosting, hope rising.
the nerd.

I sit quietly at my seat
breathing settling, pulse slowing.
the accepted.

I finish off the day,
rid of the new kid,
victim to first impressions.

Stephanie Mae

Redcliffe, Australia

High Society

If you play with fate
You will soon find yourself
Flat on your back
Fate would have pulled the rug from under you

This is a game you will never win
If you sin,
No matter where you run,
And no matter how much you deny it,
The truth will eventually be triumphant.

That amazing high before you fall
Is no compensation for the pain
You will have to endure
When you finally hit the ground.

Temptation has no voice,
And yet so many listen to her,
And yield to her.
It is your sins that keep you

Forever bound, to the devil.
Let's face it...
He isn't worth your time, or your pity,
And believe me when I say,
You will rue the day,
You fell for his antics.

Karthik Sundaram

Tamil Nadu, India

Unlucky Recluse

When a man is alone
And decides not to moan
About things that happened before
Which made him flee from home
Can one find peace aloof?
Never had it been in proof
For a man living alone is filled with thoughts
That involve people by and large
How can such a man ever be alone?
When all his thoughts are fixed like a bow
Let it be a friend or a foe
No one can be happy without a fellow
For a man who is happy
Is one who makes others happy
One should understand this simple truth
And pursue life to enjoy its fruits

Alison Pinsley

New York, USA

A Dream I Had

In a dream I had
one day I saw,
Peace throughout the land.
All peoples and all nations
Were walking hand in hand.

People were sharing
People were laughing
There were no more wars.
Everyone was "brother" and "sister"
In the skies were shining stars.

The sun, it shone, so very bright
Oh, how it lit the sky.
The moon it shimmered up there too
Lighting up the night.

Will we ever see this day
When peace will rule the land?
Will we ever see the people
Walking hand in hand?

Dinda D. Bhuwana

South Jakarta, Indonesia

My Rainbow

Dear My light, my rainbow
Please let me speak my vow

By The sky in the heaven on earth
How I am longing for you to birth

I'll pick you the stars if I could
I'll lay you on the clouds if I would

Dear my light, my rainbow
Please let me speak another vow

I'll sing you the best lullaby
That could bring you dancing in the sky

There would be nothing for me to regret
You are the angel at my sunset

Joseph Oboh Ehime

Lasalle, Quebec, Canada

Time

Time is creeping away before me,
True voices echo behind me,
Birds of the air sing along with me,
Through the loneliness of the silent path.

Time changes yesterday,
But comes real in our present lives.
We are bewildered at the pace of timeliness,
And astonished by its presence in all our deeds.

Time as a bomb waits to explode,
It ticks away through the fangs of a clock,
And passes fastly even as we don't expect,
And in a jiffy, it dawns on you that its gone.

Why kill time on the highway of loneliness,
And be left to tingle on the pathway of guilt,
But to realise, anyway, that it is an unseen companion,
Who's awake while we sleep and sticks closer than a friend.

Time and tide wait for no one.
Why reason of how time can be prolonged,
When through its eye we are mere lepers,
Incapable of a grip on its grave excesses

David J. Monteath

North Yorkshire, England

How Polluted Was My Earth

Parched earth, we have no rain.
No green grass, just stunted grain.
Withered trees that once bore fruit
Now dying at their very root.

Dried out plains once a flood
dust bowls formed out of mud.
No vales of green, they're in the past.
Man and beast die of their thirst.

Desert now where grain had grown,
earth baked as hard as hard as stone.
With people dying by the score
they hope and pray for rain once more.

With upturned faces towards the sky
hoping some distant clouds to spy.
Long hot days of burning sun,
no where to hide, no where to run.

Now we find we have to pay our dues
for the over use of fossil fuels.
Mother Nature claims her debt
With increased temperatures, the greenhouse effect.

Jennifer O. Ehidiamen

Lagos, Nigeria

A Chance For A Better Tomorrow

In the slipping minutes of time I ask
could the next day be any better?
cold and hard as a molded clay
it stood motionless with its stale odor
the children stared hungrily as they play
round in a small circle right out door.
Not minding its inviting but unsugared taste
everyone passed it around gratefully
with a frozen but sociable polite smile
that could send the dogs running in fright
Every hour is spent in whisper
on bended knees while working the strong earth.
For the leaders have changed the tune
of our old familiar song of unity
now no one knows how to sing it anymore
The bread line are getting longer
as cries of new born are heard daily
These are bread in need for a chance
of a tomorrow entirely different from today
We all want a chance of a better tomorrow
and we should be allowed to have it!

Simon Kempes

Noord-Holland, The Netherlands

A Word

A word
came floating down the street
I could see it dance
It drifted over the heads
of the unaware
I tried to scream
but the sound
it wouldnt come
And I only managed
to scare the other away

Ashok Chakravarthy Tholana

Hyderabad, AP, India

A Lasting Solution

Promise me a pitcher of water
I shall quench the thirst of many
Promise me a bowl of food
I shall feed the poorest of poor
Promise me a bundle of cloth
I shall put on naked orphans
Promise me a bottle of blood
I shall save a hope-lost patient
Promise me a place of shelter
I shall provide comfort to the old
Promise me a journey to woods
I shall appeal cruelty against animals
Promise me a bouquet of flowers
I shall unite well deserving lovers
But ..
Do not promise me hatred
'cause I can find it any time
Do not promise me conflicts
'cause I am fed up with its thirst
Do not promise me destruction
'cause I am afraid of its aftermath
But, promise me love and peace
It gives everyone a lasting solution.

Priyanka Singh

Nasik, Maharashtra, India

God

He is the bright and hopeful morning,
after a night of doubt and grief;
he is the unexpected smile or kind word from a stranger,
when you are feeling blue;
he is the dream of the future,
when the present looks bleak;
he is the answer to our questions,
in the next song we hear or the book we peruse;
he has given us all wings of hope and set us free,
and yet forming a bond that transcends space, time and creed...

Muhamad Shanazar

Pakistan

Praise To God

Infinite in wisdom, will and power,
His skill speaks, in stone and flower,
In moving winds, in floating clouds,
That bring the rains, drops of shower.
The Maker of night, Creator of light,
The source of both, pleasure and plight,
The Supreme Mind, the Ruling Hand,
That always remains, behind the sight.
Kind and Beneficent, to short and tall,
And sustains well, the great and small,
To whom are equal, the rich and poor,
He keenly observes the rise and fall.
We search for Him, in founts and wells,
In rivers and oceans, in dens and dells,
The eyes are blind, to find the mystery,
For God is Love, and in hearts dwells.

Caraus C. Williams

Statesboro, Georgia, USA

Disappearing Acts

It's been a long time
Where have you been for so long
I've been thinking about you each day
But there have been no trace of your whereabouts
Until this unexpected moment
I thought you had left this Earth prematurely
Since that's not the case
Tell me how have you been
And why haven't I heard from you
I could have been contacted
Through phone, letter, or e-mail
Why weren't any of those methods put to use
Now I'm not sure about my thoughts and feelings
Because they're no longer the same
Therefore it was nice knowing you
See you at the crossroads

Ucha Zakaree Sakhltkhutsishvili

Tbilisi, Georgian Republic

Birth Of A Verse

Awaken feeling,
Awaken sense...
The heart is beating,
The mind is tensed.
Tender sounds, syllables...
Rustling into ear,
Trying to be shaped;
Trying to be fair.
Stream of turbid voices,
Words, words, words...
Rhyme tangles sometimes,
Sometimes it spreads.
Creating of phrases -
Some right, some false.
Conferring of icons,
Feeling the pulse.
Then it moves as avalanche -
Hewer with roar...
Or the rock cuts its way,
Or it goes far.
Gathers friends and enemies,
Abuse or pray;
Love or hate, during
Making its way.

Chakravarthi Bharathen Prasanna Venkatesh

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Sans Smile

doesn't cost a dollar,doesn't cost a dime.
the number of muscles you move,is less than you do when you
whine.
a face sans smile is likened to a flower that has lost its
shine
so, lift your spirits and destroy diffidence
wear a smile and march ahead with confidence.
a smile beats down opposition
a smile wins friends.
a smile gives you a cheerful disposition
glossy becomes your countenance.
smiling in the face of failure, unfazed in the brink of
defeat.
is the sign of a man who never gives up
a man, in the real sense who never retreats.

Dina Mardiana

Bogor, West Java, Indonesia

The Day

The sun rises
and the birds come out from their nest
the moon asks permission
for giving up his task at night
and having his all day long rest

Cars start rushing out on the streets
and the traffic begins
people bringing their suitcases
and wearing their best suits
going to their offices
some with a happy smile
others with a face full of rage

Market doors are opened
Merchants commence selling their stuff
And the buyers make a bargain
Transactions have been started
Watch out for pocket money and shoplifters

For every second you count
There's God's gift
For every moment you live
There's God's love
For everything you get
There's God's miracle

Lucretia Ann Campos

Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA

The Way

Remove your blinders
Walk with Dharma
Consider your deeds
Sleep with Karma
Shed your possessions
Learn to let go
Release opinions
Let the truth flow
Care for each other
We exist as one
Defeat hate with love
War will be done
The path is open
For decision
Make loving-kindness
Your religion

Jocelyn A Ortt-Saedd

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Loadshedding Thought

Even life unlived finishes,
like a battery in a torch.
No good to keep it ready
for some emergency.

When the knob is pressed
the cells are dead -
ready for the garbage.

Better
burn out,
giving light!

Sakshi Singh

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Hunger Pangs 2

Deep sleep or just a pretension
to draw a little of that divided attention.
Eyes wide shut,
he lies there unbathed, unfed.
Hands and legs clamped up
displaying his vengeance unconsciously,
to the indifference of his species.

Someone perceived. Someone cared.
Someone amongst us,
felt his angst, heard his plead.
And brought to him his dire need.

He looked up and smiled,
and thanked her with a gleaming eye.
When everyday brings a junk heap
of places to eat,
Why do we fail to satiate hungry stomachs that die.

Raphael Bamidele Oni

Lagos, Nigeria

The Making of a Hero

Hmmm! Heroes of the past
How did they come about becoming one
Was it a matter of choice
Could they have acquired it by accident
Is there any factor that propelled them?

Well, heroes are made and not born
No one is born a hero
Heroes are made
The making of a hero is a great task.
When you look at the hero
They sow seed without watching the season
If you sit down to wait for a convenient time
For you to plant your seed,
Friend, I am sorry, you will harvest nothing

No matter the condition
Heroes are not bothered
Even when faced by the red sea
A hero will still march forward
A hero is not afraid to walk into the fire ahead
A hero is not afraid to go down to the Lion dens
"Hero" is earned and not by chance
It is a matter of choice
History will forgive someone who tried and failed
But not a man who refused to make any attempt
Hero hero hero

Narayanan Shankaran

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Hope... What art thou?

Hope is the boat which waits for its owner to move

Hope is the beacon which waits for the spark

Hope is the sight for everyone to see

Hope is the idea that one wants to realize

Hope is the hopeless heart which longs for its love

Hope is the dream of fulfilling mind matters

Hope is that feeling which seeps in when it's to be established

Hope lives on hope, hoping somebody will be of some hope

Hope is what remains, until some one comes and succeeds.

Hope drives your thoughts to success; it drives to desperation

Hope is a mindset; it resides in the mind; till it is fulfilled.

Karolina E. Suchcicka

Warszawa, Poland

Snowfall

I sit at work and look at the window,
What do I see,
Snow falling to the ground,
Only five minutes ago it was sunny,
And now it is snowing,
The snow falls where the wind carries it,
Some of the snow flakes join and fall to the ground together,
Others are together, but due to the wind they are separated,
Some come so close to being together forever,
But yet so far,
Looking at this I see myself,
Not so long ago I was with my true friends,
Now I have been taken away from all of them,
I feel sad, yet as the snowflake that falls alone,
I know that I have the same flake as it,
The other flake and I know that the wind may still change,
And we might meet again,
Or if not, we shall find out why the wind changed our path,
Because as the wind is to the snowflake
Fate in life is only known,
Once you have landed, gone or done,
Shall you know what was meant for you.

Deltra T.R. James

Waterbury, Connecticut, USA

Inspirations

What is an inspiration?
Or should I ask who?
It seems the answer changes from person to person,
between me and you.
I'd say an inspiration was a person or a thing,
that set off the bell inside your head and sudddenly
made it ring.
An inspiration makes you want to put procrastination to an end.
An inspiration can be a superstar,a teacher,or a friend.
An inspiration makes you want to stretch reality.
Take a dream and run with it, see what it can come to be.
My inspirations have caused me to really try and strive,
my inspirations give me hope and make me thankful to be alive.
I look at my inspirations and my dreams are all I see;
and I reach deep down inside and find the inspirational part of me.

Robert R. Smith

Lexington, Oklahoma, USA

Heroes

Maturity demands
the moment from us all
To take down off the Pedestal
Our Heroes large and small

Respect continues for them
but sights are lowered just the same
No longer's felt the sense of awe
at the mention of their name

Heroes fade and fall with time
forgot are deeds and daring-do
And the realization sets in
they are just like me and you

At the right place at the right time
there's a Hero in us all
And the innocents are watching
for a Hero to stand tall

Bronwyn Cameron

Australia

Something to Think About...

We go by day and go by night
we look for our dreams
to see whats in sight
we never really know the road that we travel
for life is mystery that we are to unravel
we look at each other for support and care
even to strangers if we should dare
we try to listen to the world's issues of despair
hoping to one day be able - to repair
we are strangers to so many
keeping shelted so uncanny
for this world we live
so unique and devine
should be shared with each other
in peace for mankind.

Hyginus A Dennis

Lagos, Nigeria

Eulogy to Mothers

From my heart;
Is all about mothers.
The paragon of creation from God,
Mannish in all situations
That break the father's heart,
A piece of work of art from dust
They are.
The beauty in them, who can decipher it?
--- It can't fade ---

Statementality in things
I know, mothers are not.
My mother --- different ---
She doesn't wear negligent of children,
Her hallow is good to be a pivot.
In dark, her gait could tell the
Way up even to the summit.

Fear Not in my heart.
Life battles from birth of children
Has been fought by them then in between their knees.
Their care are free for all.
Tell me the finality of all,
Could you?
Mothers are to be cared for.

Sylvester M. Motadi

South Africa

Growing Old

When we both grow old
No longer strong and bold
By the time we will be crawling
And our hands shaking

By then news will be less
Lack of self expression will be worse
The tone of our voice will be low
Also in thinking, we will be slow

Although it will be a shame
There is one thing that will remain the same
What i deeply feel about you, my love
Incomparable, everlasting, eternal love

Till the arrival of a hearse
still my love for you in heaven will be fresh.

Hacene Rahmouni

Bouzareah, Algiers, Algeria

Innocent Feeling

your nice smiling
attracts me towards you
without any words
I'm still looking to you
why I missed the words
when I saw you?
I spent the night dreaming of you
I spent the night running after you
if hearts could be linked
I would throw mine
just to spend a moment with you
you're nice smiling
attracts me towards you
without any words
I'm still looking to you

Karlo P. Guevarra

Las Piñas City, Manila, Philippines

If I Should

If I should bend on my knees, I would
just to make you stay all day
for I have never felt being alone
you've always been in my heart to stay

If I should cry for you, I would
to let you know I feel for you
for you have been my crying shoulder
you've always helped me make it through

But if I should die this very moment
just let me, I will accept my death
for I have never known the meaning of letting go
knowing that you'll breathe your last breath

If I should dream that you're mine, I would
because there's no more time left for you
I must stay strong, I must believe these are all hoaxes
and someday I'll have that sweet dream come true

I know I must hide my feelings, but I can't
because it's only you my heart will sing
even though my heart is full of romance
I have to pretend, there's no such thing

If I should count the remaining hours, I would
for I would show you my true love and care
and I would cherish every second of it
'coz someday I'll be with you up there

Agni Iswarani

Indonesia

Ill Definitions

equally deeper measure
have you recognize it?
if there is anything so solid
enough to bend the fate party
rock-a-wheel
the will to be worthed
and gruesome exposure winning all the votes
dancing tonsil craving for timeless plaud
the poise, under merciless sun
a numb, dear
tip-toed beat flow
there is no corner
for people that content to search
since the puzzle need not to be solve
to rise upon upheaval and cautiously in a quiet time
close to cause
common grandeur mistake
look beyond, if there is any way we could succeed ourselves
to overcome the overwhelming illusions
ill definitions
karma on billions

Sarah L Wunder

Ontario, Canada

Sunrise

Mother of pearl sky,
dawn delays her rising,
a lazy lover sated by
night's fuzzy promises.

Languidly drifting fingers of
cloud move up a soft, peachy thigh,
rubbing sleep from eyes
that when closed dreamed of
sun warmed flesh and salt.

Lisa Strohacker

Texas, USA

Brave Hearts

Bright hearts, who shine like the shimmering sky;
They dream in dreams of sunshine, but are made like a happy lie.
A tear can fall and put out light,
But the bright heart still shines in joy.
The love it has keeps a winning fight,
So they're strong souls the bright hearts employ.

Wild hearts, fearless and filled with dare;
They bask in strength but fall before their dreams;
Yet never their hearts thorns snare.

Wise hearts, knowing every answer true;
They never fall and never risk,
But follow every sign and clue.

And brave hearts, by far the greatest of them all;
They're never steady,
But often rise and fall;
They fear like children but stand up like warriors,
And beat the tallest of the tall.
So they win the gold and rise like waves,
To someday never fall.

Starr Smith

California, USA

Cry?

why would a lion cry?
maybe the heart of a lion beats fainter than we thought
maybe the strongest fronts are put up by the weakest
maybe all a true lion does is cry
maybe it takes strength to face being weak
is it worth being weak in the eyes of others
to be strong in your heart
is it worth others laughing for you to be truly happy
why would a lion cry?
to be the king

Seshendra Sharma

Andhra Pradesh, India

Earth an Epic

Even by bloodshed, which is indefinably superior to gold
Dreams did not become realities
Only fools do not know that
evolution also is subject to evolution

When the earth is ploughed with a plough
Only then it becomes a country
When the earth is ploughed with a quill
Then it becomes an epic
If it is not ploughed either with a plough or quill
It is merely just merely earth

24 hours of distance lies from sun to sun
only two hearts of distance lies
from human being to human being
The sky opening up its pink folds
flying itself in the winds of dawn
Look! How many riffles of distance lies
From village to war

Adeola S. Adetunji

Lagos, Nigeria

My Sister, My Friend

To say you touched my heart
to say you taught me
to say I saw things new
to say I love you
none of this is enough
my sister my friend
for your world with all its light above
couldn't prepare me for this sorrow
this saying "GOODBYE"
to my sister and friend

Tell me it won't matter
promise me wherever I am
you would be with me
in a place where
"GOODBYE" doesn't matter
where "FOREVER" is just an instant
and our "LOVE" abridge connecting,
linking and making things one
between my sister and friend and I.

Valerie A. Raasch

Wisconsin, USA

Remember

I remember the first day when I saw your face.
Not much happened, but my heart wanted to race.
I remember the first day when you smiled at me.
I was excited and happy, and felt totally free.
I remember the first day when you held my hand.
It was a funny moment, but I sure was glad.
I remember the first day when we kissed each other.
The best day of my life, and it keeps getting better.
I remember the first day when you said, "I love you."
I was so happy because I felt the same way too.
And I will never forget all the loving you do.
Even though they are small, it shows you are true.
As I look back, two years have past.
And we are both very happy, because we know it will last.

--------------------------------------------------------------

All Poems are copyright of the authors!

VoicesNet retains copyright of any documents (like this page) for any VoicesNet publishing of these poems.