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NASEEM
Obien Mayo
Daastan Publishing
First Published in Pakistan by Daastan PVT LTD
House # A-41, Madni Street, Lala Rukh, Wah Cantt, Punjab
47040
www.daastan.com
www.meraqissa.com
Text copyrights © Obien Mayo
Book Design copyright © Afeef Ahmed
Illustrations by: Obien Mayo & Afeef Ahmed
Edited & Formatted by: Maryam Sami Khan & Maliha Zafar
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 978-969-696-646-3
Retail price: 1000 PKR
Printed and bound in Pakistan by Pixel Printing Solutions.
Dedicated To
The Oppressed
The Outcast
The Outlaw
NASEEM
Obien Mayo
Daastan Publishing
First Published in Pakistan by Daastan PVT LTD
House # A-41, Madni Street, Lala Rukh, Wah Cantt, Punjab 47040
www.daastan.com
www.meraqissa.com
Text copyrights © Obien Mayo
Book Design copyright © Afeef Ahmed
Illustrations by: Obien Mayo & Afeef Ahmed
Edited & Formatted by: Maryam Sami Khan & Maliha Zafar
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 978-969-696-646-3
Retail price: 1000 PKR
Dedicated To
The Oppressed
The Outcast
The Outlaw
Table of Contents
FOREWORD
As a reader, I have always had a complex relationship with poetry. It leaves me vulnerable and scratches at the wounds of my heart. NASEEM, however, has embodied the meaning of the title by becoming a fresh breeze that plays with words and illustrates characters and objects accurately without creating an inner storm.
The poetry is simplistic and earnest. It gently moves you like the wind, but also grounds you in reality like roots stretching out to hold each other. Perhaps that is why I completed it all in one go. It was a swift read, and each poem showed the poet’s indulgence of words and understanding of the subject.
You will find new meanings for words and phrases, and the crispness of each line will reveal to you what each subject truly is. The work has been sectioned into 5 categories.
The first category Subject Object seems to hold space for deep emotions and reflections. NASEEM is also an ode to the poet’s mother and the poem has so much reverence. It has so much heart and like all good poems, it made me stop and wonder just who this character was:
Never did she give up,
A fight against a stony kingdom,
She lived lavishly like a queen,
Ecstatically, in the nest of dreams,
Exemplary she was, to the hopeless womankind,
Men were astonished, seeing a lady so refined
My other favorite is something we all struggle with. It’s often hard to remember the lessons of grief and loss and why it’s important to experience both, but the last line conveys so much graceful surrender, you would have no other option than to simply agree to it.
Plugged in our mind,
A memory that haunts us,
It guides us through the path of thorns,
None of us love it, but it helps us.
The second section is titled Quotes and these are mostly a couple of words and phrases. You will be astonished at the change of tone here. The poet holds your attention and asserts their self-importance, all the while reminding you of your own worth. DREAM BIG and I CAN I WILL carry such different emotions—the former spreading joy and hope while the latter berates and rages on.
Dear folks,
Rejoice for what you have.
Eastern wind sings to you,
A song of hope,
Made up of love.
Brothers and sisters,
It is the time,
Gear up; the road is yours.
Imp of the lamp,
Count from ten to one,
And stop,
Now sing me a song,
I don’t need your help anymore.
Without you o boy,
I can live and survive,
Love that I need is not the
Love that you exaggerate.
The third category is Stories which are designed in an unconventional way and that adds an extra layer of charm. The poems will direct your attention to certain words and that would open up a new line of thought much like full-length stories.
Then comes Last Order, and finally Blackout Poetry with words highlighted against a dark backdrop like fingerprints against a window—smudged but very prominent. All poems elaborate on what we already know and what we are familiar with; they bring in new dimensions to the boundaries of our understanding and that is just what makes it a much-needed addition to any avid reader’s collection of poetry.
Rumaisa Ahmed
Counselor, Writer, Activist
Karachi, Pakistan
___________
Obien Mayo is a shining star on the literary horizon, winning readers' hearts with his words. His first book, 'Death on Birth' reflects our society's ups and downs. After this book, he did not stop his literary journey but continued to write from time to time, and that is why I am writing my views for his new book today. This book contains acrostics, and the writer's imagination can be judged by the fact that each line of the poem has its own distinct identity. Yes, he has made the book a subject everyone loves to read.
In this book, there are seasons, there is love, there is spirituality, there is friendship, and there are attitudes toward life. This book is connected with nature and has a unique taste. There is the imprint of God in all the scenes. The other side of it may be the Mother whose fragrant spirit enchants the universe, which indicates the author's breadth of thought that he has associated the feeling of God and Mother wonderfully. I am quoting a few lines from the book.
Warm and cold your hands are,
Igniting me,
Nesting my soul,
Declaring me alive.
The author beautifully describes the feeling that fills his soul with light. This feeling can be of the mother’s tender touch and the closeness of God, who is devoting her soul's inner peace.
The author asks the readers lightly, "Do you know the power of a tear which is a drop of salty water?"
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