IN SEARCH OF HER SOUL

Ahmed Sheikh

DAASTAN PUBLISHING

First Published in Pakistan in July 2021 by Dustan PVT LTD

House # A-41, Madni Street, Lala Rukh, Wah Cantt, Punjab 47040

www.daastan.com

www.meraqissa.com

Text copyrights © Ahmed Sheikh

Design copyrights © Anam Ameer

The moral lights 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 978 969 696 648 7

Printed and bound in Pakistan by Pixel Printing Solutions

Dedicated to my respected late father

Prof. Javeed Ahmed Sheikh

INTRODUCTION

Somewhere deep within my soul, I finally decided to publish my first debut book. However, there is a haunting tale of restlessness. Let me tell you my story.

I started writing poetry at age 16. My father, Prof. Javeed Ahmed Sheikh, was kind enough to encourage me and work out a deal with a local publisher. Unfortunately, it was not the time for computers and digitalization. I left that book unpublished. The most priceless gift a father can ever give is igniting a passion for words.

He must have been a masterpiece of a wizard. His bloodline is full of spectacular writers now. Our youngest and most brilliant author in the family, Mr. Saif Rafique, is a 7 year old publisher of a book titled 'Enchantments and the Magic of Shadows, Books and Power"'. His creative soul lurks in his book. I encourage you to read his piece of work. Follow the great writers of tomorrow, today.

My eldest daughter is gifted with the intuition of colors, fragrances and thought. Some of the pictures in this book are paintings made by this talented girl. Fatima Ahmed's book is in the pipeline. Her words are caterpillars and butterflies. She will mesmerize you with the enchantment of the moon and the depth of the sun. I can never write like her. She belongs to the row of talented souls that inspire generations. Her time is here.

Several decades later, I was introduced to a method of publishing content on social media. Started getting followers. The world opened up to my words. I knew it when I wrote my first poetry book that the world will reminisce over my poems. This was a history being carved with each poem I wrote. I am known as pakwriter on Instagram.

My father could not live to see his child publish his first book. Like all the tragedies in life, the hero died before the dreams could turn into reality.

I dedicate this book to my late father, Mr. Javeed Ahmed Sheikh. He is the reason why I write today. I wish I could have gifted him this book. Perhaps in heaven, my words will reach the audience it intends.

Life is a bizarre pathway of unknowns. This should have been my third book in publication. But it has to start this way. In Search of Her Soul is the name of my book. 'Her' is an essence delineating life it is this her that I have been in search of for so long.

I hope as you read my poems, it takes you on a journey of my life. I hope you find life in all its majesty in this book.

The poems are organized by date. The first poem was written on January 13, 2019. This is where my search for 'her' began.

In Search of Her Soul is my true calling from within. I searched for her in every breath of life.

Before the sun cascades into an emptiness

Let my words paint you in colors

That only brighten

When you read them

In search of her soul

Leads me to a crowd of madness

Dance with me

As the music diminishes

In the streets we call life

 The Rose

She only saw the thorns and

cried

the world kept on

scattering her fragrance

and smiling at her tears

She wanted him as a story

book character

Become alive when she

wanted to read

He was just a dream

Enslaved in the words of her

thoughts

A jewelry box

filled with pearls and earrings

If she could only wear my love

like her jewelry

She might look more beautiful

Foot prints in sand

Old memories without traces

Does the soul even know

that foot prints

were all that is left in a journey?

                                       What if angels ask the prophets

                                 what kind of message you gave

                                      that all your followers fought       

                             but couldn't breathe in love

                                               Perhaps it was not the man being tested

THERE WAS A DOORWAY TO HER SOUL

HAD TO GO THROUGH HER PAINS AND TEARS

TO REACH THE END OF THE JOURNEY

AS I TOUCHED HER

SHE FLEW

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           In the book of life

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           we were only words

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           death kept on reading the lines

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           and we came alive on its lips

It took a night full of stars 

to remind her of me

I wonder what she thinks

when the sky is as dark as her soul

The roads could hear my 

footsteps

and still led me far away 

She wanted me for the money I had

I longed for beauty and could pay any

price

Eventually

She got old

Money lost its value

Gold bought her smiles to life

Money in my pocket

Her arms around me

In poverty

she reminded me how love could have been

Even all the stars could not find her

When she was lost in her dreams

CONTENTMENT

SHE WAS SEARCHING FOR IT ALL HER LIFE LIKE A BIRD

FINDING THE REASON TO FLY

A flower blossoms within her

I can smell it

as I kiss her lips

A MILLION STARS SHINING IN ECSTASY

AND ALL THE LITTLE BOY COULD LOOK

AT

WAS THE GLOW IN HER EYES

 AS HE LOOKS AT HER

There is a road inside us

leading to the heart

Seldom do we travel 

It is too silent

You can hear your own breath 

In the cold emptiness

Dying to find oneself

Leaves falling

their time has come

dropping to the ground

is a rare sadness

Does the tree know

Life will cover it again?