tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38720081941698904282024-03-13T15:55:55.419-07:00Farid Gul MomandMusings of the Bard Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-48599245635280646212016-05-08T03:46:00.000-07:002016-05-08T03:46:12.705-07:00Maturity! <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Now that it is agreed between us –<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>To be cautious<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>While driving on the bumpy road of life in dusky evenings<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>I can only say-</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>We've grown up today</b><b>!</b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>But </b><b>O you beautiful lady,</b><b> may I ask you one more thing- </b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>With some interruption-</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Before your silence stir my restless heart?</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Let's cease this moment with our trembling hearts</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Let's our craving lips do the rest of the talking!</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Farid Gul, Peshawar, November 11, 2012</i></b></div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-51267542506343107822015-05-25T21:57:00.000-07:002015-05-25T22:02:37.481-07:00Just a little thought !<br />
<br />
Be positive, no matter what. Be bold and courageous, no matter what. Be the voice for the voiceless, no matter what. Always stand for justice, no matter what. Always speak your mind , no matter what. Remember, nothing is greater than the act of kindness, and care. Be kind to everyone. Be kind to animals and birds. Be kind to little flowers and plants. Be kind to your environment. In doing so, some may call you stupid dreamer, wayward idealist.Your value must not diminish based on how people may think of you. Never hide behind stupid religious walls and fears and differences, no matter what. If you stand for others, the world will stand for you, no matter what.Your journey must not stop in the midst of a dark night. It must continue. It must grow, no matter what.<br />
<br />
Farid Gul, Peshawar, 26 May, 2015Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-4749391195767583512015-03-08T07:05:00.001-07:002015-03-08T07:05:44.794-07:00Because she is a woman ! On International Women Day!<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Because she is a WOMAN !<br />So she can cook for you and your kids-<br />and THAT'S OK? <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />And she is expected to serve you first-<br />because you are a man<br />while she can fight her appetite<br />because she is a woman- AND THAT'S OK too?<br />And she cleans you and your BLOODY house.<br />She gets your children ready for school<br />and YOU- for work. She raises your children-<br />make them doctors, engineers, teachers, nice human beings.<br />And she washes, presses and mends your clothes.<br />And she cleans your babies bottoms which in the best possible way- you avoid to see?<br />And she does this all - not for an hour or two, but unrecorded tiring , thankless hours.<br />But she can't poll her vote. Because she is a WOMAN?<br />Because she has no choice ?</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Farid Gul Momand</div>
</div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-68592764006346731122015-03-08T06:56:00.003-07:002015-03-08T06:56:40.459-07:00On Peshawar school massacre !<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
They left us all, one day –</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
For an unknown journey on an unfamiliar road </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
A journey –<br />
Like an aching sigh, without end<br />
A road –Like the air or breadth empty<br />
<br />
<br />
But like migrating birds –<br />
I know they will come back one day<br />
Perhaps- next year<br />
Perhaps- 16th of December<br />
<br />
<br />
Like migrating birds –<br />
I know they will come back<br />
From the distant shores<br />
Grown up wiser and taller, only<br />
To pay a TRIBUTE to our dead souls and cheap pride.<br />
<br />
<br />
Farid Gul Momand , December 18, 2014 </div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-77994429249956526252015-03-08T06:54:00.002-07:002015-03-08T06:54:46.535-07:00Everything perishes sooner or later !<div class="_4_j7" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div class="mbm _5k3v _5k3y" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 16px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_54fc535c52c849d22665658" style="display: inline;">
Everything perishes , sooner or later-<br />
Even the pain of separation –<br />
The silent ecstasy of reunion<br />
Or a rare trance of oblivion- everything perishes.<br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">
Everything perishes, sooner or later;<br />
But this heart of mine - ever so youthful<br />
Aspire to live on –<br />
So look inside my heart-<br />
And yours too,<br />
If you have the slightest of mercy to let us live.<br />
<br />
Farif Gul Momand, Peshawar</div>
</div>
</div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-39669942870250038422014-08-28T04:18:00.000-07:002014-08-28T04:18:19.752-07:00My Diaries- August 21, 2014<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">When Jinah said that Hindus and Muslims belong to two different religious philosophies, social customs, and hence must have separates states, he was basically against the idea of inclusiveness. His often twisted exclusive version and interpretation of two nation theory paved the way for the creation of a confused country. The separatist idea that he evoked was further strength</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">ened by corrupt civil and military bureaucracy and some strayed often confused pseudo intellectuals and religious demagogues. Little we knew at the point that this intolerant philosophy will further divide the country.<br /><br />We need to revisit our history- perhaps, re-write our history. We need to learn to respect the individual as well as the collective identities of people living in the country. We need to learn to respect the sites, rituals, variant political, ethnic, linguistic , cultural and religious - agnostic, atheistic identities of people. This doesn't require some alien interpretation and complex application from East or West, North or South but a sympathetic understanding of our collective indigenous wisdom, our Sufi traditions,our cultural landscape- our imaginations and possibilities. We need to erase this difference between US and THEM,only if we are willing to chase our dreams.<br /><br />"" You cannot cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water"- Tagore</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /><i>- Excerpts from my diaries- August 21, 2014, Peshawar</i></span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-40001446929804121392014-07-06T22:37:00.001-07:002014-07-06T22:37:38.119-07:00My drowsy night !<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
In the naked silence of the drowsy night</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
I won’t let the angry wind from the mountains</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
To steal you from me – or</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Sting us hard in oblivion.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
My heart is your inn-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
I won’t let you abandon it!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
I will welcome you with new possibilities. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
And don’t you let me ever miss-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
The lonely scent of your breath, tonight!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
O you my city of forsaken dreams-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
And infinite possibilities</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Tell your dwellers-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Not to sob for tonight either- </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Swallow your grief- </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Let your enemies find you in our lyrics. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Oiii - the exhausted night-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
You too tell the distant dawn to wait!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
We are in no hurry, tonight! </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Farid Gul, July 6, 2014</div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-65186116235298211312014-06-27T04:13:00.002-07:002014-06-27T04:13:31.112-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">It is only our choices that should make us feel important or intelligent- be that going to hell or pay the highest form of sacrifice than live in constant fear and doubt. If freedom is what we all want- then, long live the freedom! If the plight of people from North Waziristan disturbs us no more- then let's call ourselves something else. Let's invent things that console our dead souls ! Let's revisit our dictionaries- maybe something is missing !</span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-59863726553406944712014-06-20T10:07:00.000-07:002014-06-20T10:07:54.855-07:00Sing to me tonight!<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My love-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Before the wings
of the starry night steals me from you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sing to me tonight!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sing to me tonight
before the ice melt on the mountains-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sing to me
tonight- before the shore of the sultry sea merges into nothingness <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Perhaps - with
another shore- or maybe some unknown continent never explored before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> So sing to me tonight, my love!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sing to me tonight
before I endlessly weep <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And beat my grieving
chest with the chains of indifference -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Shed some unwanted
tears<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And beg the LORD
OF THE LAND –</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">the MIGHTY LORD OF THE LAND to forgive my people<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For a crime never
being committed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Farid Gul, June 20, 2014, Peshawar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoMNC3gPKac8o43-BR1w5UXtEE8h61mDwqcfoNDgy45yBgsJi84MB75_JP2aRKxgINvd9tVXWmE3JyCx2bonN7sK40XejPbwDMNm7DPiC89UCaOMyGawWl_FvawwKUJw-tKiAnHnjlXuu/s1600/53a147beca47a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoMNC3gPKac8o43-BR1w5UXtEE8h61mDwqcfoNDgy45yBgsJi84MB75_JP2aRKxgINvd9tVXWmE3JyCx2bonN7sK40XejPbwDMNm7DPiC89UCaOMyGawWl_FvawwKUJw-tKiAnHnjlXuu/s1600/53a147beca47a.jpg" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-64350998764993221652014-02-10T00:09:00.000-08:002014-02-10T00:09:25.156-08:00<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px;">I hear people saying here that only God could bring much needed peace to the region. Ridiculous! I say, it is us and only us who bring war and peace to our doorsteps, not God or gods. People should fight for peace, or else we've no future !</span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-11434219363937671672014-01-26T07:58:00.000-08:002014-01-28T09:11:16.568-08:00My Diaries - January 25, 2014<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Shared with mother what if we meet again those, who'd never come again like Imran and uncle Ashraf and grandmother. Saw them all in my last night dream. It was pretty odd. They were sharing their stories- we ours. We had tea with biscuits and some random gossips. Grandmother would crumble biscuits before eating and complained about her troubling toothache. I took her to my room. She was amazed by the number o</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">f books. She could read in English too. I was very surprised. She asked if I ever missed her and I cried. I tried hard not to. The rest I can't remember. Mother warned me to stay safe and vigilant while at work in Peshawar or in the field. She is visibly worried . Told her I will. She knows that I can't live in fear. Life after all, can be a burden if lived under constant fear. One must live like a free man. Though, we all have boundaries and some stupid limitations to adhere to. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2nd week of work with UNFPA and there is so much of work to be done. It is a nice working environment and everybody is so pleasant and helpful. I wish staff were a bit more professional. UN is like a family and people must be driven by the desire to help the most vulnerable people in need. V from UNHCR shared that she is happy in Peshawar and that people are nice. It was pleasant to hear from an expat.<br />............. Mother said that it is only god who can bring peace to the country. I don't understand why people expect Khudai to resolve all man made problems-some as technical as recovering a word file on our PC. Why don't we understand that it is people who bring war and peace to their own doorsteps not god or gods. Fried fish for Mahroo and Asma. They came down for an hour with her mother. Asma loves fried fish. She asked which of the nieces I like the most. I say Mahroo and that made her feel unwanted for a second. She wanted me to get her an Afghani gagra. I will get her one soon. She is totally adorable.<br /><br />Excerpts from my diaries- Jan 25,2013, Peshawar</span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-50494020481741984022013-10-02T00:51:00.000-07:002013-10-02T00:52:31.960-07:00To Taliban's Apologists! <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
I don’t know how to begin with: </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
I know I may stumble to make sense , while they may</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
conveniently quote verses from the holy book in the best possible way</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
with utmost precision</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
to paint my city in blood- once more. After all, they've stolen the God!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
On our side of the road-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
it is quite convenient for some to be butchered in the process.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
But that’s OK to them!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
On the other side of the road-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
There are those with long beard, kohl in their eyes, counting Tasbeeh</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
preaching to kill dozens more , blowing themselves up too,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
after all</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
they are ready to spend the night on the breasts of 72 odd virgins.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
They may burn the already dead ones too-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
to achieve some highest form of gratification!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Few yards ahead-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
at the crossroad- watching like silent spectators</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
some clean shaven idiots</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
who resemble no less than sculptures of all heights- scared and frozen</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
as if made from some RECYCLED flesh of timid souls</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
spend day in-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
day out -</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
in some intellectual masturbation-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
To achieve highest form of political orgasm on my dead people</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
arguing - "it's not OUR war, it's someone ELSE" !</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
I say F***** U ALL!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Karachi, September 29, 2013</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-24263849038156225162013-09-27T01:02:00.001-07:002013-09-27T01:02:44.023-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">An Evening of Readings and Conversation with Farid Gul author of "Paris Hilton vs The Poor Poet & Other Poems "</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Date: Wednesday, 2nd October, 2013</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Venue: PeaceNiche | T2F, 10-C, Sunset Lane, Phase 2 Extension, DHA, Karachi </span><br />
<a href="http://www.t2f.biz/category/location/">http://www.t2f.biz/category/location/</a>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-19326282045266724502013-09-12T08:57:00.004-07:002013-09-12T08:57:47.416-07:00Last words !<br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And when despair and hopelessness </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">start peeping through the window,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">to get one final look of your miserable being</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">and when your ill- wishers start dancing on the songs of sarcasm</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">and when the memory of a loved one – thousand miles away</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">sitting somewhere in a cosy café </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">surrounds you like an octopus-</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">and when the angel of DEATH tries to get into your house</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />and INVADE your personal space<br />and when you get nervous, helpless, hopeless-<br />and wet in sweat-<br />all you want to say-<br />“O death-<br />O death-<br />don’t you scare me with your devious plans<br />I have still enough left in me<br />So treat me with some respect<br />And while you and my enemies lack alphabets of respect in your lexicons<br />It runs in my blood!<br />So stab me as hard as you can-<br />but remember!<br />Tomorrow- as the first light of the joyous sun touches my rugged mountains<br />you won’t be here, but I will be!<br /><br />Karachi, September 7, 2013</span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-32067242034800694382013-08-25T09:09:00.001-07:002013-08-25T09:09:33.824-07:00Because she is a WOMAN !<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Because she is a WOMAN !</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So she can cook for you and your kids- </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">and THAT'S OK? </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And she is expected to serve you first- </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">because you are a man </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">while she can fight her appetite </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">because she is a woman- AND THAT'S OK too? </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And she cleans you and your BLOODY house. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">She gets your children ready for school </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />and YOU- for work. She raises your children-<br />make them doctors, engineers, teachers, nice human beings.<br />And she washes, presses and mends your clothes.<br />And she cleans your babies bottoms which in the best possible way- you avoid to see?</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And she does this all - not for an hour or two, but unrecorded tiring , thankless hours.<br />But she can't poll her vote. Because she is a WOMAN.<br />Because she has no choice ?<br /><br />Farid Gul, Karachi, August 22, 2013</span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-23283877913443187502013-08-25T09:02:00.000-07:002013-08-25T09:02:00.862-07:00<a href="http://dawn.com/news/1036447/pashtun-youth-launches-collection-of-english-poetry-today">http://dawn.com/news/1036447/pashtun-youth-launches-collection-of-english-poetry-today</a>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-3733648614470709782013-08-25T08:54:00.001-07:002013-08-25T08:54:58.207-07:00A poet’s last stand: An expression of agony<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/591555/a-poets-last-stand-an-expression-of-agony/#.UhoovFifDXU.blogger">A poet’s last stand: An expression of agony</a>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-48994649592534596292013-05-28T06:38:00.002-07:002013-05-28T06:38:51.311-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"And when old words die out on the tongue, new melodies break forth from the heart; and where the old tracks are lost, a new country is revealed with its wonders"</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Tagore (lines from Geetanjali)</b></span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-70259927494972241822013-05-04T11:26:00.001-07:002013-05-04T11:31:29.572-07:00My soon to be published book cover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDM0p4KcVTFwnstJOLe4HmcQMZYSQhs6BeR_o36Mkoy3A2L2_HFq9SM1ufcOFt2XgRzmxjkIt6EJgyFt-fEjNe_KpY4FjGSavUoQhvlqp_cTlI6uBs2Od3CVRvEADqoWjUD8C7jQEzqCu/s1600/edot+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDM0p4KcVTFwnstJOLe4HmcQMZYSQhs6BeR_o36Mkoy3A2L2_HFq9SM1ufcOFt2XgRzmxjkIt6EJgyFt-fEjNe_KpY4FjGSavUoQhvlqp_cTlI6uBs2Od3CVRvEADqoWjUD8C7jQEzqCu/s400/edot+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-30558793937833435672013-04-30T04:08:00.000-07:002013-04-30T04:13:55.240-07:00Loneliness <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A man<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">as strong as a
rock<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">in the prime of
his life<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">enters into his
dark room.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He avoids
thinking of the world<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and the people in
it. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But then ,
loneliness surrounds him like a good old friend.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So he looks
around <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">stares into his
abyss<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and wishes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">a bed of silence<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">a pillow of peace<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">a shawl of
comfort <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and a tissue
paper , to wipe<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">his tears<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and his grieving
heart.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Farid Gul,
London)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-41192736657468862182013-04-21T09:54:00.001-07:002013-04-21T10:36:36.979-07:00My diaries- April 21, 2013<div>
Re-visited some of the old diaries this morning. Nothing has
positively changed for the people of this country. Went to a local café
to grab some latte, but abandoned the plan. It was boring out there too. Got
the Express Tribune and Herald from a news agent stall. The paper reads ' PTI
and JI offices in Karachi attacked by unidentified men'. I would never
understand the term <i>' unidentified men'</i>- Are they ghosts that can never be
identified, but then ghosts are easily identified. Politics of fear at
its best!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Phoned home- talked to Mahroo. She
shared that she is learning fast and will soon become a doctor. Asked Asma if
she too would like to become a doctor. She says no- ' I want to become a
bride in beautiful long red clothes'. Asma asked me to come back soon to teach
Zarghuna how to take steps as she is a slow learner. Last week, she would take
a step, then would stop and sit, if wanted to say,' stop man, I am only 11
months baby child'. She is a lovely niece. But then all are. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mahroo said that
uncle Khaab had cotton in his nose after nasal operation. 'He looked so ugly'
she giggled- 'but looks nice now'. Asma complained about the sandals I bought
her from Karachi. It is apparently too large for her size.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read some of Aamer Hussein’s Urdu short stories- what a writer.
What a shame, I won’t attend his sessions at Islamabad Literature Festival at
the end of April and beginning of May. Aamer
shares that Ismat Chughtai and Manto were only friends and not lovers- what if
they were? I read Manto’s views about a
possible marriage with Ismat in a book called ‘ Ismat Chughtai Kai behtareen
Afsaanay’. I translate here what he says about Ismat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
….. what if I had been married with Ismat and imagine our conversation
about Qazi at the time of our Nikah?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘ Ismat- look at the Qazi’s forehead- as flat as a slate’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘What did you say’?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Ismat, what’s wrong with your ears?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘What’s wrong with your voice- I can hardly hear you’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Listen, I was saying that Qazi’s forehead resembles a slate’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The argument further escalates at Nikah.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘ Qazi’s forehead is lovely- yours is slate’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘You are annoying me Ismat’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘No – you are annoying me’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I’m saying- you are annoying me’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I’m saying- you are annoying me’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘You have to admit, you are making me angry’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘wow man, you have already started acting like a husband?’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Qazi sahib, listen, I don’t want to marry this woman. If your
daughter’s forehead resembles yours, then I want to marry your daughter’.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Qazi sahib, I don’t want to marry this wretch, either! If you haven’t married the fourth, marry me. I
like your forehead’.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But Ismat was reportedly in love with Majaz- an excellent,
alcoholic – romantic Urdu language poet who died young. Manto had married Safia while Ismat married
Shahid Lateef – Indian film producer and script writer. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A friend from London asks- if her boyfriend would like Mont
Blanc as his birthday present. Told her if he likes nice light woody, fresh and
warm fragrance with a touch of coffee then he may like it, but then longevity
is an issue with Mont Blanc on some skins. She writes back, ' you should be a perfume seller
all your life'.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Got an e-mail from my publisher, reassuring me that <i><b>Paris
Hilton vs The Poor Poet and other poems</b> </i>will be published soon. I don't know
how soon as I am anxiously waiting for a while now- like the birth of first baby in a
family. But then, I never had this experience either. I need to ask an
expectant mother or a father to crisply describe the feeling to me. Off to bed
now- tomorrow is busy day. I don’t like Mondays. Wish we could skip Mondays but
then I was born on Monday too. Could I've ever had skipped that too?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Karachi, Apil 21, 2013</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-4905548223867933112013-03-27T11:30:00.000-07:002013-03-27T11:30:34.301-07:00A Poem<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">In the middle of the night-</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">when silence occupies you-</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a gentle whisper invades you</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">touches your ears</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">and caresses your heart- </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">it’s me.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">(Karachi, March 26, 2013)</span>Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-57020219219083729532013-03-17T11:51:00.002-07:002013-03-17T11:52:43.401-07:00A Poem<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Small girls with little dolls in their laps<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the middle of a burning sun heat<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Under the shadow of a Mulberry tree<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are building castles of mud for their dolls.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They all eating ripened mulberries.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Their lips are reddish.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They don’t need lip-stick to wear on their lips.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They smear the mulberry juice on the dolls’ faces too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dolls cheeks are flushed like the cheeks of a bride.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Small boys<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Under the shadow of chopal<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Few yards ahead -playing marble game.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A game without rules.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They scream, call names, laugh, show anger<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Get hurt at times too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Complaints begins,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why did you cheat?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Cheating is sin- you are a sinner”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They devise another game for the undecided winner!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They start running towards an open hut at the centre of the
village.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Breathless as they are<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the boys foot starts bleeding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everybody gets concerned<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A small girl tears her doll’s clothes she made with love<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To put on his injured foot.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Boys are no more concerned about the winner now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A cry of cheating soon forgotten.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Complaints stop, accusation stops<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone seems happy now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They make up their amazing demands now<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A glass of water, I am thirsty, please!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One brings the onion,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another dried up naan, a piece of Gur.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Azan begins on the loud speaker<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone seems soft<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone becomes attentive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mothers and grandmothers in their lifeless clothes<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With silent fingers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Straighten their wrinkles <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And from time to time<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Try to overcome their boredom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They exchange the hottest news of the village and nearby
villages.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stories they all share- with curiosity<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stories they all share with utmost interest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grandma comes out of the house, wearing heavy black shawl.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Caring smile on her face<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or an instructive gesture?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A small dog<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moves around, as if lost- looking for something.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A caravan of camels passes – silently<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a straight row, like prisoners of war.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Boys start running with caravan and makes funny voices.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dark clouds pile up above the sky.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sun looks dim now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lightning and thunderstorm starts<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heavy rain comes heavily.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Boys run to the mosque.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A small girl shouts in the face of everyone:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Heavy rain has come girls!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Heavy rain has come girls!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘The castles have fallen girls!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In panic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They take their shawls<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leaving behind crumbling castles</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They built with love.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Breathlessly they run to their own houses!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Houses with no windows!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Houses with no doors!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For wars have made it so!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I stand alone<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Preparing to sing the last song<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In David’s melody<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a funeral mask<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The song of death dancing on my land.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The land of proud, but miserable Pashtuns.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Karachi, March 2013</div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-11206012883534460872013-02-09T00:09:00.000-08:002013-02-09T00:09:33.202-08:00 A Poem<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
I didn’t do anything to you.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
I kept your words safe in my chest- like sacred texts.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
I didn’t destroy your pride-</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
your ego, your elegence or whatever you have.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
I just asked you</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
to see your face in the mirror -before</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
you make any further assupmtions about me or my race.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
And you seem to have a problem with that?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;">
<em><strong>Karachi, February 3, 2013</strong></em></div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872008194169890428.post-41277173111677583292013-02-08T23:53:00.001-08:002013-02-08T23:53:37.252-08:00My Diaries- February 09, 2013<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is Saturday. I woke up this morning with a renewed thought of maintaining my diaries. I had stopped writing it for more than a month. I had
felt it was a boring, tedious and painful exercise writing about life in Karachi. But now back to put things on paper. All is
not bad in Karachi, I suppose. There are positive
stories coming out as well besides the violence in the city. The resilience of Karachiites is amazing. I have
made some good friends here besides friends from work place and professional
circles. Wahab, a fruit seller in the Clifton 's supermarket is one of them. He lives with
his wife in Hijrat Colony. He spends winter in Karachi and summer in his native
town of Kalam/ Swat. He considers Karachi as his home. He strongly feels about the
city. Known as Khan in the market, he is a popular guy- very generous and a
likeable individual. He gives away fruits and vegetables to beggars at his shop,
strongly believing that the needy have some share in his business too. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Husan Zada, 12 year
old waiter and cleaner in a local restaurant is the next one. He calls me kaka ji (uncle), I call him
brother. Extremely courteous, polite and
intelligent young boy, he lives with his mother and 5 siblings in a poor neighbourhood
of Hijrat Colony- predominantly Pashtun settlers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
tribal areas. None of his brothers went to school for formal education, while
his sisters are currently enrolled in a madrassa. I offered him a place in one of the schools in his neighbourhoood which he refused saying that he wants to support his family as his father died 2 years ago, and that there is no adult at home to support the family. I offered him teaching basic Maths, English and Urdu which he accepted. Now we spend one to two hours a week in the restaurant
outside rush hours. He enjoys reading and writing and drawing pictures. He wants to become a doctor
and serve people. In these people, I see a purpose of life, in them I see an inspiration to believe in the goodness of life. Karachi is beautiful, after all!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Karachi, February 9, 2013</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Farid Gul Momandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15210852546397070192noreply@blogger.com0