SpecialFeatures

Special Features

SCREAMING SILENCE

Words are missing

The silence hides a scream

Yet it interconnects.

It is born out of repression

And aims to liberate my soul

From the inaudible storms

That have nurtured ages ago.

I remained silent for

"The deepest rivers are the quietest"

The frozen soul has melted and

Crying.

Words are missing

But a lot has been said

Screams have reached to the deaf ears

To the stone hearted folks

With a hope

That no other soul has to scream in silence.

DR. MUDASIR AHMAD GORI, hailing from Kashmir, did his Masters in English Literature from Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (2010). A gold medalist at M.A. Level, he did his

M.Phil from Vikram University, Ujjain, in 2016. He continued his pursuit of higher education and completed his PhD from Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, in 2020.

He is currently working as Assistant Professor Distance Education department of MANUU, Hyderabad. He writes occasionally in local and international newspapers. Some of his articles

can be found in newspapers like: Kashmir Images, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Vision, Kashmir Reader, Brighter Kashmir, The Parliament Times of Pakistan, to name a few. He also writes in Urdu for papers like Udaan, Taameel Irshaad, Jabroot, etc. He is currently working on a book, "Screaming Silence", a collection of poems. He has a passion for Urdu and English Poetry, he shares the same passion for cricket, too.

AGONIZED HUMANS

Immortalized dead bodies,

My young progeny,

Destined to drive us across the shore.

These pearls have fallen to bullets,

Their innocent bodies pierced with deadly metal.

Screeches of sisters echo,

Stains of blood on mourners are evident.

The perfume of grief,

The sobs of mothers,

Elders sniveling, stand still.

The fights to have the remaining relics of brave hearts,

Last glimpse before the send-off,

To the world of eternity.

The shroud of the martyr

Deck with garlands and cologne,

Hands festooned with myrtle.

Genuflected to the fate, their sons,

Mothers see them off.

ONYAH'S TALE of the STATE of NAIJA

Four candles slowly burned. The ambience was so soft, one could almost hear them talking...

The first one said: 'I am peace' NIGERIA is full of anger, hatred for each other and fighting. No one wants to keep me lit.

Then the flames of peace went out completely.

The second said, 'I am faith'. The polity is so tensed to such an extent that no one has an iota of confidence of my capacity to

turn the tide of events for the now and create the desired future. It doesn't make sense that I stay lit another moment. Just then,

a cool breeze blew faith's flame out.

Sadly, the third candle began to speak. 'I am love.' The citizens have simply lost touch of the reality of my existence and

importance for a united Nigeria. And I am waiting no longer love's flame went off.

Just suddenly...

A child entered the room and saw the three unlit candles. 'Why aren't you burning and revealing your brilliant light among us',

inquired. Right from the days of our founding fathers, they, within their struggle, had believed that once we had been declared

an independent nation, they had conceived/bargained that you were meant to stay lit till the end of the ages, as the tie that

ought to bind us, if we must remain in oneness.

I am hope!

The fourth candle announced, when I am still burning, we can rekindle the other candles.

With bright eyes, the child took the candle of hope and lit the other candles. it then became evident, that though love happened

to be the greatest of them all. However, the wings of hope though fragile like that of a butterfly, should never be taken for

granted. With hope, each of us, despite our ethnic backgrounds, or whatever seem to be our differences, can be of a truth,

live in PEACE, FAITH and LOVE.

WE COULD REMAIN UNITED IN DIVERSITY at NAIJA

One Nation, Great People!

Lucky Stephen Onyah is a Lagosian by birth whose parents hail from Delta State, Nigeria. Currently, he is a

mathematics teacher and a Principal of Gbenu Private Academy, Lagos. He is also an English teacher with
World English Institute, having earned an Advance Diploma in English from the same institute. In addition,

he is taking up Master of Bible Studies in Accra Graduate School. Stephen ventured into writing early, had

evolved in the art and seeks to impart the world with his creative pen. His poems can be seen in anthologies,

international e-zines and has received awards for his work.

Recently, on our Magazine's Facebook Group, we conducted a 2-week Prompt Challenge in the Humanitarian Theme, and asked our members who participated, to write a poem, where we would choose one out of the entries to be included in this issue. Well, we were touched by not just one, but four, so we decided to publish all four poems. We hope you are as touched as we are, when you read the work of these gifted writers!

Skin of Human Nature

Skin of human nature

Perished in altruistic hue
And teenage crisis wraths.

We thrive from mundane

Cares of daily grind

As the hapless man kisses

Life's acrid flavors,

What is there left to give?
Need we SHARE the only

Food for our subsistence?

Worried lest I'd be

Starving...I'd give.

In a troubled breathing

Coincidence...I'd give.

HUMANITY

Be a lotus in

Filth and dirty water of life

Else diamond in

Dark and dirty coal mine.

Be a mountain when

The cyclone comes

In all odds

Maintain your decorum.

Like the majestic rain

Clean all your surroundings

In case of new relationship

Don't forget your old bonding

It is better to stand

Bare feet

Than to borrow

Else's boot.

Like a banyan tree

Don't forget your root.

REBIRTH

An abrupt explosion

Earth took birth from the sun

And gone through changes

Millions and billions of times

Hymn of life started to enchant

And authenticate the life to peep

Through the sea in deep

Thus arise the life day by day
Evolution occurs but now we have to pay

The taxes that we have enjoyed a lot

Without thought about nature

Was busy to nurture our own self worthy thoughts

That brought us in front of a question mark

If we will ever be able to leave remark

On the earth in spite of the destruction we have made

Now just take a break and feel to refill the scars on earth

UNITY

In pursuit of love and peace, let heaven

and earth bond together, our brothers,

illuminate the grieving, displaced from

the borders of no hope. let love glow in every

living hearts, glands and veins, the universal

blood type, to claim unity of one brotherhood.

Let the clouds that loom with tears, washed

evil minds, who destroy peace and harmony.

No gun fire to use, to spread evil power and

to silence innocent victims. Let the lyrics of

healing and compassion drizzle in fine mist

in every continent.

We are one brother, of not borders, created

from dirt and from dirt we will all return.

Though we have different cultures, race, color,

but one belief, with the Almighty, that blessed

and forgive us. let the river of Peace flow,