I am a doleful story to read. Although I was a healthy seed, I was put into the soil that was barely fertile. I grew but fruitless, Now I am thought to be a weed. I am doleful story of a withered ambrosial blossom which grew in the soil with less fecundity. Even that in no time, was washed away by the unpropitious rain. © Shafkat Aziz Hajam
"Can't Move Past Thy Grave" I can't move past thy grave O my dear son My old and forgotten wounds become alive Cause me unbearable pain And near your grave I yearn to have one. Thou abandoned me at my frail stage Thou were my strength, light of the weak eyes Now I am helplessly breathing in the dark cottage. I am a baby now physically, Can't move and stand on my own Thou were my crutch now but left me unexpectedly soon. I prefer death to breathing painfully now Alas! There is no place for me to go Where my wounds caused by thy demise would heal Where the people my griefs would feel. All are glum for their unfulfilled dreams Or for having lost their valuables or the loved ones So to me, only comfortable abode seems A grave next to yours O my dear son. I am bored in this mean world, Alas! I find here many prepared to dig my grave, But to look after me like own mother I find none. If thou were alive, I would prefer more life to death As thou were my blood, thou would be loyal to be What I did for thee, thou might do for me Under thy shadow I might take a breath Of relief until the time of my death. © Shafkat Aziz Hajam
SHAFKAT AZIZ HAJAM is a children's poet from Kashmir in India. He is the author of two children's valued based poetry books titled "The Cuckoo's Voice" and "The Canary's Voice." He is writing one more poetry book for adults. His poems have been published in local newspapers: 'Headlines Today' and 'Kashmir Reader' and in foreign anthologies: 'Wheel Song Anthology' (UK based), Prodigy Anthology (Greece) and Lit Light Anthology (Pakistan). He also writes limericks for children.