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Kash Baloch Poem
Light, the kind that brings the faintest glimmer of hope,
appeared suddenly through a darkened wood;
like an oasis after travelling through the Sahara so parched
with thirst threatening to take my life for good.
Though death’s bony palm lazily gripped my arm,
it was just rough enough for me to hear its confession;
lecherously it whispered in my ear,
that I would soon become its latest possession.
Could it be that the answer I sought and then revered
had finally arrived upon its noble steed as though a God?
My eyes too weak from tears to see whether it was a blessing
or if it was concealing a curse within its threadbare purse.
Much too pained,
with shallow breaths I take pathetic steps,
afraid of acquiring evermore heartache as debt,
which I forbade before embarking on this clueless quest.
Was it true the skies had selected me this day to prize,
unable to accept that my turn had come, just yet.
Disbelief unshaken, for I had long grown weary of my faith;
the spell love cast had not been broken, I was still carrying its chains.
That speck of white that shone through lit a fire in my chest,
for I had long anticipated an anchor to steady my skittish ship.
From ash to glowing embers, this inferno progressed,
growing wilder with each second, until there was a raging blaze and nothing else.
I shed my shredded armour, matted with layers of hurt,
ripped off the rags that adorned me,
filthy from being dragged too often through the dirt.
The chaos in my cerebral cortex left me to my own device;
forced me out from my phantom fairy tale
and shoved me into the black of night.
This dopamine daydream that I so desperately tried to keep,
silenced the serotonin soliloquies that so often substituted sleep.
I crashed through my own shadow with superhuman strength,
sprinting towards this saviour that seemed sacrosanct.
The flittering lights that would only flicker,
soon formed a floating orb dancing across my field of vision;
like a love-struck paramour, in boulevards Parisian.
Free at last; at last, my love had come along,
equipped with all I needed so that I could carry on.
The emptiness within me, was once again so barren,
as hollow as my head all the times before that I had fallen.
I was not only filled but teeming, overflowing with such joy;
for I was freshly dressed in a brand new love and ready to be destroyed.
Copyright © Kash Baloch | Year Posted 2016
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Kash Baloch Poem
I sifted through white sands in coastal cities, longingly searching for an
answer; explored every cave, and even sailed all over the Atlantic.
Asked every soul that I encountered, but it was all in vain,
there was no single solution that would soothe my pain.
Shared stories of my travels with priests in churches, and in temples,
traded secrets of my findings, with my fellow weary-eyed wanderers.
I picked up every pebble, and peeled through blades of grass,
climbed ancient trees silently hoping my sadness would not last.
Tribes indigenous to Africa taught me how to be free,
through them I learned that life could be just as peaceful for me.
Ventured to the corners of the world to no avail,
escaping from the truth could not change the fact that we failed.
I meandered through the Sahara, without a caravan,
then risked everything as I narrowly evaded death in Iran.
There is nothing that compares to the deafening silence underwater,
but even there I was unable to swim away from my problems.
I closely examined the faces of everyone that I met,
looking for something that reminded me of you, so I would not forget.
I pored through the pages of ancient manuscripts and texts,
for divine guidance on the steps I should take next.
There was no cure in the Amazon, nor did I locate it in Peru,
the Andes mountains only intensified my longing for you.
I left no stone unturned on my quest,
yet I was still unable to dislodge our love from my chest.
Restlessness prevails without an end in sight,
you will remain lost, another casualty of life.
This vagabond heart of mine rages to let go,
alas, it seems there is no remedy for missing you.
Copyright © Kash Baloch | Year Posted 2016
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Kash Baloch Poem
If you should ever find yourself lost in this life,
and are unsure of where it was you may have strayed from your path.
Retrace your steps, and catch your breath,
count the many ways that you are blessed.
It may not seem like you have it all figured out,
but it’s a start; there is no need to feel alarmed
Just like some flowers take longer to bloom,
I promise one day you will also discover the beauty of you.
Maybe even in the darker moments,
when you feared nothing would change,
perhaps in the smiling faces of your loved ones,
or in the mentors that have guided you along the way.
Search through the corridors of your old stomping grounds,
read through old diaries, or learn a new skill at the library.
Some may find it in churches, and others in nightclubs;
there is no right place to go when you are lost, wanting to be found.
Recount the lessons that you have learned,
that helped shape the individual you are today.
Reflect on the bridges you may have burned,
that changed the geography of your landscape.
Accepting that you may be lost is the hardest part,
nobody likes to admit when they are wrong;
asking for help is just as difficult,
for it is seen as weakness when you are actually quite strong.
Do not compare your scars or trophies with anyone.
Focus on the progress you have made,
your successes, and your failures, too,
as they will help you stay motivated and on track.
No two paths are the same—each journey is unique;
there is no need to fret or worry even if you find yourself at a dead-end on a one-way street.
Every obstacle comes equipped with opportunities for you to grow,
just be patient, and listen closely to what your heart wants you to know.
Even in the times you felt the most alone,
the voice, the soul within you, never left your side.
Despite not knowing which way to go,
your spirit always helped you find your way back home.
So, the next time you look around again and do not recognize a thing,
or begin to feel anxious because you are unsure of how to proceed,
remember to open your eyes wide, and retrace your steps.
Catch your breath until you make peace with not always knowing what comes next.
Copyright © Kash Baloch | Year Posted 2016
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Kash Baloch Poem
Each holy man there is, is convinced he's better than the next,
as his right hand tightly clasps prayer beads, whilst he judges others with his left.
Piety the reason that he wakes up every day,
just to forget that only God can judge, even if someone is gay.
Whether devoted to the gospel or in submission to the Muslim holy book,
many of these zealots cannot be told apart from crooks.
Their lies are so often inspired by an agenda that remains hidden
amongst claims they will be forgiven for each slip, no matter how forbidden.
Living in the future, they are consumed with the afterlife,
but it is so convenient to forget the rules every time they take another wife.
These hypocrites misinterpret ancient words however they see fit,
when the truth holds no advantage from which they could somehow profit.
Wars have been fought over less than a few acres of land,
both sides convinced the blood was spilled as part of their God's plan.
Self-righteousness surrounds us, humanity has ceased to exist,
replaced by laws made by hateful pastors and religious nuts like Kim Davis or ISIS.
Who can say that religion has done less harm than good,
when it can be held responsible for divided neighbourhoods?
When practiced with humility, it can be a beautiful thing;
praised for the prosperity it brings, and turned to for guidance in times of suffering.
But more often than not, Ten Commandments are ignored whenever we commit seven deadly sins,
we are so conscious of all our imperfections but ignorant of our blessings.
False prophets preaching in the streets take advantage of our desperation for something to believe in;
the confidence with which they spread their ignorance is rarely seen as deceiving.
Mankind will only survive this state of emergency if we unlearn all that we know,
once we accept that religion hinders us more than it helps us grow.
There is nothing wrong with having a little faith,
if it inspires love and does not advocate messages filled with hate.
God has no religion. There is no more need for these unholy wars,
let us not be so insecure that any offense is one worth fighting for.
Muslim, Christian, Hindu, or Jew; there will always be power in numbers,
lest we forget that before our dogma divided us, we lived together as sisters and brothers.
Copyright © Kash Baloch | Year Posted 2016
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Kash Baloch Poem
With my head no longer being held underwater by your ghost,
I greedily fill my lungs with oxygen,
now that I know what it feels like again to breathe.
Held hostage for too long by love that refused to stay afloat.
Shipwrecked heart of mine lay at the bottom of the sea,
barely beating, broken by the change you brought about in me.
Buried, like the treasure that we could’ve been,
I wash my hands clean of this failed experiment.
Tsunamis nor earthquakes could bring us ashore.
Lost to time, forevermore.
Until we resurface as a myth,
for no one would believe a love like ours could exist.
I woke up this morning and wrote your name in the sand.
I've done that on every beach I've been on since I met you,
but I'm never going to do it again.
I'm ready to move on.
This beach will be the last to know your name.
Written carefully so each grain of sand would know our pain.
My memories of you wash away with the rise and fall of the tide.
As waves crash into us one last time,
I say goodbye.
Copyright © Kash Baloch | Year Posted 2016
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