Dreaming Souls and Dancing Hearts

DREAMING SOULS AND DANCING HEARTS

BY
MIANGUL SAAD SIKANDER

Daastan Publishing
First Published in Pakistan in July 2021 by Daastan PVT LTD House # A-41, Madni Street, Lala Rukh, Wah Cantt, Punjab 47040
www.daastan.com
www.meraqissa.com
Text copyrights © Miangul Saad Sikander Book cover copyright © Abeeha Faisal
Edited by © Maryam Sami Khan
The moral rights of the writer, illustrator and editor have been asserted.
All rights reserved
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or distributed in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN 978 969 696 611 1
Printed and bound in Pakistan by Pixel Printing Solutions

For Baab, my Grandfather
Whose love of poetry took root in me

CONTENTS

MONA LISA
MAY
LAUGHTER AND LULLABIES
HOPE
IN THE WHISPERING WOODS
BEWARE DECEIT. DANGER DRAWS NEAR. DEPART
TRYST
EXISTENCE
SYCOPHANT’S PRODIGY
FADING BEAUTY
THE SUN AND MOON
GRAND ESCAPE
A FORGOTTEN PATH
GLIMPSE
ON OLD AND GRAVELED ROADS
SUFFOCATING SLEEP
BECAUSE I MAKE A SLAVE OF LOVE IT TURNS
POINTLESS CONSTELLATIONS
STRIKING HAND
PURSUING PAST
WOUNDED WIND
EARTH'S BEATING TIME
GAZE OF WILTING HAZEL
SEPULCHRAL DREAMS
INKED CAGE
FUTURE’S REMINISCENCE
POISONOUS LIPS
CUT ME GENTLY
DREAMING SOULS AND DANCING HEARTS

Mona Lisa

O you gazing deep within my eclipsed epiphany,
Such soft eyes; a swirling ocean of tears.
With unattainable secret strokes you are painted
Brushes of gold make you different, yet you are unaware
In your death you became Art and everybody began to care.
An ancient mirror breathing life into morose memory
Making me reminisce; how cruel of you daughter of Lear’s!
You speak to me with sealed lips and now I’m tainted.

I see a sea of discontent moving in that dress!
Shades of heaven and hell conflicted with your burning outline
Your sad smile echoes a sepulchral tone, unheard.
A pearl trapped in a shell, never destined to be opened.
In a purple grape vineyard you fell before you ripened
You echo in an ancient language but I must confess;
Even in your silent lamenting whispers I hear you fine
Seated in poignant grace, a dreaming caged bird.
Dreaming Souls and Dancing Hearts

May

Blushing flowers lying deep in untrodden
snow. The ageing apple kissed by glazing
ice, and jilted groves in rooted, sodden
lie. A subtle gaze, old fashioned, burning.

Dripping soothing sun that moulds prolepsis
Melting ice, undying drowning, quicken!
Snow is falling, ash, perfervid turn’s bliss
Morning comes, she lies like dew which glistens

Rosy lips and cheeks are colored sorrow;
Sleeping lure am I to her frostbitten
state. She falls to sleep and wakes for morrow
When she stirs our names in love are written

Found you, melting, white in midsummer sway
Dying snow, my kiss be burning warm May

Laughter and Lullabies

Singing myself a forgotten tune
Scouring my memories crumbled runes
Voices as gentle as summer rain;
Soothing my heart from this grievous pain

Beautiful! Floating a petal past
Touch, as I near, it is fading fast!
Green is the grass but it’s rooted deep;
Old recollections are tempting sleep.

Summer is echoing azure blue
Fireworks display, all my time with you
Autumn is stealing the warmth of youth,
Winter is setting in, harsh in truth.

Thinking of laughter and lullabies,

Living in gardens of fireflies.

Hope

In hearts of slaves was born a dream
A longing perched on bough, in wait
Sahara hosting silver streams
A passing fancy left to fate
Its taste is rich on wanting tongues

A seed is planted, taking time
A springtime bloom is born from cold
The wait is long but sweet as wine
For surely spring will come as bold
as hope. The breath that pumps their lungs!

In the Whispering Woods

On the stars is a path
For the stranger in hood
Where all stories do berth
In the whispering woods

And the birds did once sing
For the maiden who stood
All alone in the spring
In the whispering woods

And the daffodil blooms
For the lovers who would
In their deaths be in tombs
In the whispering woods

And there lies what is good
In the whispering woods

Beware deceit. Danger draws near. Depart

Odd Come Shortly
Leave me hotly!
Enveloped sunlight
Arriving at night
Nothing but a saint
Darling Miss so quaint
Eclipse my resolve
Retreat yet involve

Venus burns bright in separation
Ever do I wish to burn cruelly,
Never do I hope to learn gently
“Us" is nought but a silver lining!
She tempts still to make her my darling.
Feelings linger long after the thought;