– published in babel. – volume 2 Honorary mention ARPA 2024 Cottonmouth and velvet all over.Thorns and twigs growing on my shoulder.Where is the luck of the Irish; four-leaf clover?My mind wanders in situations created with fears and what-ifs, faking the adventure like a rover. Scarlet lip stains but not yet on the knife.The filter…
Category: Dystopia/Hope – babel.
A Prelude to Sanity by Saud Maroof Lakhani
– published in babel. – volume 2 Winner of ARPA 2024 A Prelude to SanityDark bark – the tree of life.I shall pluck off its stem of solitude,And eat its fruit of melancholia.Tender pale sap of tomorrow’s haunted memories –I shall drink its forlorn guilt,And pull at its root, rich with depression.Vivid blossoms – the…
Unheld Echoes by Mariam Ata ur Rehman
– published in babel. – volume 2 Honorary mention of ARPA 2024 In shadows cast by fleeting time’s cruel hand, I dance with fragments of a goddess fair, Her essence, like a whisper in the wind, A wisp of beauty beyond compare. My heart, a prisoner to her distant light, A flame that burns with…
Missing Report by Haris Nazir
“It must be noted that there was no flickering in the basement, just a pitch-black room without a light source.“
Compulsions or Convulsions by Ibtesam Ahmed
“Tethered to the days, the soul blooms uneasy.“
Hope in 21st Century by Sara Amir
“Minds are astray, hearts are perplexed, and there is no light of hope left.“
Congregation of Little Heartaches by Walid Khan
“All the hearts, all the little heartaches / a congregation of little prayers.“
The Valley of Thoughts by Marriam Bibi
“But a slight glance of conscience / Reminds me of the sordidness“
Silly Girl Yearns for a Miracle by Hira Mehar
“But wait, when did hope ever die?/ It is a body that kills. but itself, it remains alive.“
Hope is a Bird by Umer Azam
“I wanted to write a poem about hope. / But how can I when the world’s like that?“
Transparent Tyranny by Zohaib Ali Khan
“But this time, reality was prettier than the imagination itself.“
Who Baked Those Cookies? by Nawa Sohail
“I could feel someone’s stare ripping my soul. I could feel my life leaving my body.“
Remorse by Yusra Jahan
“I watched all this happen as a spirit. It hurt as much as it would’ve if I had been alive.“