elusive shangri la

elusive shangri la

life is to be lived

an opportunity

not extended to all

existential dilemma 

for economists

benign and tinpot rulers

down the millennia

as men and women

come and go

soccer dad

soccer dad

on the field
the young child
missed the target
the father consoled
the crestfallen child

off the field
the father forlorn
lost in syllogism
evoking missed targets

real unreal

real unreal

under the spotlight in the corner
the dieffenbachia with shiny leaves
and on the wall three wooden frames
with florid pictures of houseplants

masks

 masks

life and living would be simpler if we could see what is behind the everyday faces we see reality exposed for once finding true love

SantiagoArt

@SantiagoArtis

· 54m

Cesare Sofianopulo Masks (1930)

faani

faani

wajood mo’aiy’yoon hay
munsalik wajood say
teri meri jaan hay
tughiani e andesha
istifsaar kerti hay
jan tou aani jaani hay
mawra e wajood e faani hay
phir yeh khalish kaisi

respite

respite

longing to drown
in the honeycomb
of the inner self
avoiding the (blazing) sun
has to be wrestled

mohlat

mohlat

ujalay ki haqeeqatoN say
amaan chahtay hu’aye
aao ghar’q ho jaiN
ghaar e daroouN ki tareekion maiN

suffering

suffering thirst hunger cold deprivation discrimination disenfranchisement what do you know of suffering? go to an abattoir look into the choiceless eyes 

of a goat, sheep or cow 

blowing ...

 blowing ...

ingrained
folks blow horns
wittingly, or ...
some touting ambition
others defunct dogmas

and many

turn a deaf ear

suni sunaee

 suni sunaee

baray neend suna hay

her jagah aati hay 

yeh suni sunaee 

baatouN ko kaun sunay

najat

najat 

in zanjeerouN say jo pehnaee hay

mauj e hawadis nay sadiouN say

rozan say girtay hu'aye yeh zarrat

ik din zaroor najat dilaiNgay

talaash ii (revised)

 talaash ii (revised)

zeh'n kay jangaloN maiN
zaat kay sehraoN maiN 
t'ri ankhioN ki jheel maiN
ghota zun dhooNdta hooN 
saleeb ko, pyalay ko

ab tou yeh aalam hay 
her rah chaltay shaksh ki 
aankhoN maiN dhoondta hooN 
khud ko ...

talaash i (revised)

talaash i (revised)

zeh'n kay jangal, zaat kay sehra maiN
aur teri aankhON ki jheel maiN hay
talash kisi go'om gushta such ki 
jo saleeb per saidouN pehlay
chaRha diya tha, ya jis nay
khushi say zeh'r pee liya tha
jaanta hooN yeh sub, khalish laikin
muztarib rakhti hay mujhay

my short interpretation

 my short interpretation

smile  when you wake up be good to your self a prelude to be good to others and when you sleep pray for a smile when you wake up

The Valuable Time of Maturity by Mário de Andrade

of inconsequential consequences

 of  inconsequential  consequences

in consequence

adam

eve

snake

apple

earth

this earth

intended?

unintended?

in consequence?

inconsequential

talaash ii

talaash ii

paida hotay hee zaalimoN nay
saleeb per chaRha diya thaa 
kya a'jub jo zeh'n kay jangaloN maiN
zaat kay sehraouN maiN go'om
teri ankhiouN ki jheel maiN ghar'q
khood ko najanay kyuN dhooNdta hooN
aur ab tou yeh aalam hay kay
her rah chaltay ki aankhouN maiN
janay kis kis ko dhoondta hooN...

talaash i

talaash i

zeh'n kay jangal maiN
zaat kay sehra maiN
aur t'ri numnaak 

aankhoN ki jheel maiN
kis such ki talaash hay
paida hotay hee Oosnay
saleeb per chaRha dya, phir
sar e rah youN her aankh maiN
kis such ki talaash hay

peer e tasma paa

peer e tasma paa

haath ya dil?
             haath ho
             dil ho
saza dil waloN kay
             jis'm ko
dimaagh walon ki
             rooh ko

milti yaheeN hay

ger buchch ga'aye
munkir nakir tou haiN
peer e tasma paa

mother nature

mother nature

mother nature
winces, smiles
when the tears
crawl north
seizing plains, mountains
their final revenge
an apocalyptic battle
an aqueous peace
….

adam and eve, reborn
prophets, books, the usual
followed by dissenters
and another great flood

whispers

 whispers

mrs. havisham would not know
about whispering inanities

in these eclectic days keypads 

supersede human interaction  

cocoon

cocoon

storms ravage
winds whirl
            physical
            metaphysical
all around us

picking a flicker
from past millennia
only a thousand years young
            deluding
we’re the chosen ones
refuse to emerge
            from our cocoons

let us hear it for the trees!

 let us hear it for the trees! @sheilabenson

cyperus papyrus and kin papyrus hadidi would love and enjoy the irony of eulogies written about them on paper

Sheila Benson @sheilabenson

Let's hear it for trees !

do clouds have feelings

 do clouds have feelings?

if not, why do they cry

                 cats and dogs

(do cats and dogs have feelings?

dogs do, cats are cagey)

why does everyone 

beneath, joins the clouds 

                 crying?

the mute beggar outside dolman mall

the mute beggar outside dolman mall

the wrinkles on her face
a veritable topography
the forehead saharan dunes
side of left eye the great lakes
the right dunes of rab al khali
the cleft tectonic fissures
neck coppadacia
toothless smile compassionate
eyes penetrating

tears

 tears 

the live pearls

have no faith

religion

ideology

caste or creed

pearls

motherhood value

shared universally

please

inform the uninformed

while i gather mine

zabani jama kharch

zabani jama kharch

baat tou app bhee theek kertay haiN

baat tou woh bhee theek kertay haiN

baat tou hum bhee theek kertay haiN

baatouN ki maujoN kay beech maiN

yeh naazuk dil  hay kyuN larzaaN