Tasneem Hossain - Biography and poetry
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TASNEEM HOSSAIN
Tasneem Hossain, majoring in English Language and Literature is a multi-lingual poet from
SANCTUARY
The world keeps moving in its pace;
we are all given a momentary space.
No one knows when the end will come;
When our lease will end, we succumb.
Feast of false dreams that we perceive,
Turns to ashes the shroud of happiness, we dream.
Every day, we come closer with every breath
Time of breaking this rhythmic heart.
Remembering the story of breaking apart;
River of rain brims the eyes, thinking of death.
Each breath we take is a beautiful song.
Flowing, dancing with every heartbeat along,
Treasure what our hands can hold; be strong.
Let others enjoy the rest my friend.
Wandering among the unknown faces until the end,
We will gently fade away one day.
Come my love gather me in your arms,
before I leave this sanctuary, we hold in our palms.
THE WINTRY NIGHT
A dead calm in the bedroom lingers on her head.
An uncanny shadow lurks in the corner of the big wooden bed.
Sleep, a gypsy, scattered stars on unspoken lands.
Amidst the voiceless silence, the clock goes tick, tock and bang.
The window keeps thumping like a bat flapping its wings.
The strong wind outside heralds the coming of thunderstorm,
curtains swing.
Light and flashes start twisting and curving
on the narrow white walls.
Distorted ghosts swirling, robed in the dark red curtains,
on the floor and doors;
Torrents of rain, gushing water splashing unmelodious crescendo,
flooding wet her flowery pillow.
The wind chime clatters and shrieks with all its might.
Time to shut the glass window tight;
The drumbeats in her heart go wild in sync,
Whirring and clanging the broken stand fan swings,
Mirror on the wall sneers ridiculing her face;
Thoughts juggling in an uncanny pace,
The phone bell rings and she springs;
To take the call, she has to find the thing.
Crash!
Perfume/ fragrant bottle falls on the floor.
Red droplets fall drip drop, drop.
‘I am sorry,’ the voice calls.
The gusty wind now softly blows.
Her eyes are misty, hopes aglow.
Musical melodious rain and ravishing snow
The Robin on the fancy clock strikes midnight.
Dreamily, she falls on her bed. Night is bright.
Flashing sparkling fireflies,
Scented air fills magical moonlight.
The wind chime sings a lullaby,
Dreamy sparkling eyes; she sighs.
Softly in the arms of silence, she lies.
Dazzling stars in the sky.
EYES BEHIND MASKS
Oh those eyes!
Stared from behind the blue mask;
I couldn’t take off my gaze.
I gazed and gazed,
my mouth stayed agape.
Lily of the Nile,
I saw the smile,
with the twinkling of her eyes.
Away in a rush, she left the bus.
Those dark black eyes
stared at night from the sky;
twinkling playful stars,
winked and smiled.
What melody sings in my heart!
Volcanic eruption, I fall apart!
If only I could see,
what lay beneath the mask!
Perhaps a beauty I have never seen?
Or perhaps the smile that could stop a million ships;
or perhaps ……
I dare not think.
Poetry blossoms again in lovers’ hearts:
coy, bold gazes, behind the kaleidoscopic masks;
Birth of poets and poems,
new stories written;
with hundreds of gazes,
mysterious eyes, shrouded faces.
(written during COVID 19 when everyone was wearing masks)
Biography and poems translated by the author herself
