Wafi

May 10, 2009 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

A Lonely Mother.

I am a lonely mother
Exhausted,
Despaired.
Longing for my own,
My own children
Who have forsaken me
No more proud of me
I am not old yet
But the carelessness
Of my children
Has weakened
My bones.
I am a tree
In need of care
Autumn has not come
But my leaves
Are falling
Leaving me standing stunted
In the cruel desert
Of my loneliness,
Watering my roots
With my tears.
I am a stranger
In my own home
Facing the blows
Of foreign hands.
Their black nails
Tear my skin apart,
Digging deep ditches
In my broken heart.
Will they return?
To defend me
Or will they let me die?
I don't know
For I am a lonely mother
Wretched and blue
I am the poor Pashto*,
Ah! I am the poor Pashto.

About This Poem

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Comments

Samaira

17 years ago

another great work !

Hello Wafi, I just love to read your poems again and again. This is another one of your thought provoking work. To grow and advance doesn't mean that we should forget and neglect our roots. I Liked the way you have described the language as a neglected mother. Just a few suggestions: Has 'weakened' my bones In 'a' cruel 'desert' and is the first letter of every line intentionally capitalized? Doesn't matter though. Nicely written. Keep it up. I am looking forward to read more :-) Cheers Samaira.

Wafi

17 years ago

Thanks A Lot My Freind

Thanks a lot Samaira, for taking the time to read and comment. M so glad you liked it. You are so true, being advanced doesn't mean we should forget our roots. I wrote this poem as the voice of Pashto calling upon my people, specially the educated ones, who have neglected it so much, to give it some attention. I sent this poem to many of my Pashtun freinds through mobile text messages and I was so glad to see that it worked. It deeply touched them! inspiring the love of their neglected mother, Pashto, in them. Thanks a lot for reading my poems. my pleasure you like them. Thanks a lot for the suggestion, I have edited it. Sincerely, Wafi

faerybeki

17 years ago

aafarin!

A lovely lament for a language Wafi, agree with Samaira, I like how you have personified Pashto, as a lonely mother, and there's a softness to the poem i love. Funny, Mother's Day is different days in different countries, we had ours in March. any way, great write and much love b x Ps aafarin- i'm saying it hoping it means 'bravo!'? more love b x

Wafi

17 years ago

Manena Beki

Oh thanks Beki for your lovely comment, specially for the "Aafarin"(bravo, well done). I am very glad you liked it and commented on it. Your thoughts are always appreciated my freind, I am encouraged. "Manena" means "thanks" in Pashto. Much love, Wafi

Rett

17 years ago

Wafi, my friend

This is absolutely beautiful. Brings tears to an old man's eyes. Well written with just a couple of little places that need attention to make it perfect. Leaving me standing stunt (stunted) In a cruel dessert (In the cruel desert) (dessert is an sweet treat to eat after the meal. English is maddening isn't it?) All in all, well deserving of a 5 my friend. Happy mother's day to your family and may the world be bright for you and yours. Respectfully, Rett: "God made an idiot for practice, then he made a school board." Mark Twain For the sake of children, read this. http://www.neopoet.com/node/19905

Wafi

17 years ago

Thank You So Much Rett.

Thank you so much Rett, my dear freind, for reading and commenting on it. So glad you liked it. Thanks for the suggestions, "Dessert" left a smile on my face. My pleasure, it got your attention. Your comments are a source of joy and encouragement for me. Wish you all the best my freind. Accept the greetings from my family. Haseen says "Hello" to you. Hug, Wafi

Nordic cloud

17 years ago

This one I liked Wafi

Well written and poignant too. Yours Ann of Norway

Wafi

16 years 12 months ago

Thanks A Lot My Sweet Ann Of Norway.

Thanks a lot Ann, for taking the time to read and comment. So glad you liked it. Your smiling display picture always beautifies my poems and gives me a touch of happiness. Ann, my language is faced with so many big chalenges now a days. Recently the shrine of one of the well known poets of Pashto language, Rahman Baba(1650 – 1715 A.D.), was blown by the extremista as his teachings are against their ideologies. Rahman Baba was a sufi poet famous for the love of God, humanity and brotherhood. I have translated one of his poem, will be glad if you take a look of it here http://www.neopoet.com/node/17083. The conditions are getting worsed day by day for this language as many of the Pashtun actors and singers were brutally murdered and many were forced to leave the region, who got refuge in the western countries. One of the famous Pashto language singer Haroon Bacha was threatened to death, who finally fled to Britian. Another female singer Aiman Udas was shot dead in her flat. These were the reasons too, along with being neglected by its own people, that I wrote this poem. Hope things get ok. Once again I thank you for taking the time to read and comment. Wafi

Wafi

16 years 12 months ago

Thank You Janice.

Thanks a lot Janice, for reading and commenting. Your comments and thoughts are always appreciated. Sincerely, Wafi

Linda Moses

16 years 11 months ago

Wafi

A beautiful poem, one which many mothers could relate to. well done Linda

Wafi

16 years 11 months ago

Thank You So Much Linda

Thank you so much Linda, for reading and commenting. Your thoughts are greately appreciated. Sincerely, Wafi

Afzal Shauq

16 years 11 months ago

A Great Poem

I went through few of your rich poems and this is one of the best .. what i like in your poetry is the way of your expression, poetic flow and melodious effects... best composition of words... well done dear friend..wish if you never stop wroiting and in the mean while you can add your poems at once in www.postpoems.com and www.allpoetry.com too... my personal page in post poem is as www.postpoems.com/members/afzalshauq..... I may send you copies of my english books in e... PDF files if you provide me your ID ... besy of luck dear friend and thanks for all your loving comncerns and friendly love.. your's afzal shauq [email protected]

Wafi

16 years 11 months ago

Thanks A Lot Shauq

Thanks a lot Shauq, for taking the time to read and comment. So glad you liked it. I added you to my buddy list. And will save your email id as well. Thrilled to hear such words of praise from a great poet like you. Lucky we got in contact through Neopoet. I appreciate your thoughts so much. Will love to read your other poetry books too. Say my "salam" to sweet Brishna ( I read your poem about her, a great poem indeed). Sincerely, Wafi "Culture, location and beliefs; All vanish with love!" ~Afzal Shauq~

lyz

16 years 7 months ago

Dear Wafi

How beautiful is this, very. Heartfelt plea, saddens the heart. I think this is quite the write. I find myself telling her, they are coming they will rescue you. I really enjoyed reading this. Love Lyz.XX

Wafi

16 years 7 months ago

Oh So Sweet Of You, Dear Lyz

Oh so sweet of you, Dear lyz. Thanks a lot for taking the time to read and comment on it. Thanks for your encouraging words, I appreciate your great thoughts a lot. YES they will defend her! Sincerely, Wafi "Culture, location and beliefs; All vanish with love!" ~Afzal Shauq~

Nordic cloud

16 years 7 months ago

Very lovely

Not the sadness, the poem about it. I so love trees that your analogy of the tree moves me particularly. There she stands alone, helpless and you have given her a warm voice, stretched out your hands to her in your poem, to help her regain the love of her family. Beautiful Wafi. Love Ann of Norway

Wafi

16 years 7 months ago

Thanks A Lot Sweet Ann Of Norway

Thanks a lot sweet Ann of Norway. So glad and thankful to you for the reread. Always appreciate your thoughts. Sincerely, Wafi "Culture, location and beliefs; All vanish with love!" ~Afzal Shauq~

themoonman

16 years 7 months ago

Wafi...

how I could have missed this poem is beyond me, but I did... you are often on my mind Wafi, my heart goes out to the Pashto people for I know they have been the center of much warfare and continuous unrest... I wish for man to move on to the accepting stage of humanity's goal, but in looking around it seems he is not ready yet... too much profit to made in the suffering of the less powerful... please do keep gracing us with poems such as this Wafi... your friend Richard

Wafi

16 years 7 months ago

Thanks A Lot Richard

Thanks A Lot Richard, my dear friend, for reading and commenting. So glad you care, means a lot to me. I appreciate your thoughts a lot. Pashtoons, both in Afghanistan and Pakistan, are reaping what others have sowed. Sincerely, Wafi "Culture, location and beliefs; All vanish with love!" ~Afzal Shauq~

Kailashana

16 years 7 months ago

I too had missed your poem

I too had missed your poem Wafi, were not for Moonman. The mother tongue is often forgotten, her children sometimes beaten by shame. Much love my young talented and loving friend. ~A

Wafi

16 years 7 months ago

So Thankful To You Ana

So Thankful To You Ana, my peace-loving friend. I appreciate your taking time to read and comment on it. I love my this poem a lot. Thinking to translate it in Pashto as well. Sincerely, Wafi "Culture, location and beliefs; All vanish with love!" ~Afzal Shauq~

kaligantsaros

16 years 7 months ago

Is this for the language or the people or both?

Excellent. traditional lament over the grave.

Wafi

16 years 7 months ago

Thanks A Lot Friend

Thanks A Lot Friend, for taking the time to read and comment. I greatly appreciate your thoughts. Not only the language but every thing related to my people is in danger now a days. Pashtun actors, singers and poets in Pakistan and Afghanistan (where Pashtuns are in majority) are brutally murdered. Their cultural and historical places are being destroyed, consider the bombing of the shrine of Pashto language poet Rahman Baba, his shrine is still not reconstructed. The schools are set on fire and the children are stopped from going to school. They are kept away from education and technology in one way or the other. The cinemas are almost closed cos of fear of the bomb blasts and the past suicide attacks. The Swaat vally imigrations, due to the unrest in the area and the Army operation, is the biggest human disaster, which completely destroyed the infrastucture of the area which was a sight for international tourism. The people of Swat(Pashtuns) lived and got educated on the income generated from the tourist sights. Once it was called Heaven, due to its natural beauty but now it is turned into a hell on earth. I have written a poem about Swat, you may want to take a look http://www.neopoet.com/node/21982 Besides all these problems, the mass murder of Pashtuns by the NATO forces(by mistake, as they always say and then apologise) is continous and getting increased day by day. On one side there are the Taliban millitants who are butchering the innocent Pashtuns and on the other some hidden hands pushing us towards the stone age! A great game of politics which doesnt seem to end... Sincerely, Wafi "Culture, location and beliefs; All vanish with love!" ~Afzal Shauq~