There was once a time
when people wrote poetry
for the sake of poetry itself
no slashing of paper with
the red ink of pain
no squirmings of  self-pity
in pale blue ink
no rantings against the world
in merciless black ink
no railings against fate
in envious green ink

there was once a time
when people read poetry
for the sake of poetry itself
no escape from the drudgery
of grinding chores
no running away from
concrete steel chains
no turning away from
harsh images outside
no solace to be found
outside the web of life

there was once a time
when people let poetry
flow through their pens
to etch out new creations
catch metaphorical pearls,
set them to music
dance and fly
whirl and spiral through
rhyming similes, idioms
build new passageways
to sublime dimensions

there was once a time
when people went swimming
between unfathomable lines
to chew upon,
absorb, fully savour
the unforgettable flavour
of each rhyme and
brilliant stroke
to sublimate their emotions
through the beauty of
descending words.

~ Sultana Raza © 2007

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