I recount the days of old, When the streets were filled with laughter, When the hours were yours and yours alone, To do as you please, to wander. The lush gardens were filled with roses, The bees buzzed, The butterflies had time to break free from their cocoons, and turn into beauties that filled nature's paradise. The Mountain Dew turned into honey and filled the land with much manna, so the children could be fed, and grow in numbers. The time was yours and yours alone. Then the ways of the world turned away from innocence, And the proud gathered dusts of gold, Forgetting that nothing was as precious, As the peace they let slip unknowing, That golden peace, once inherited by their children, once upon a time, torn away, now beggars rummaging for food, dishevelled and dirtied, The children's cries are louder than the bombings, O, what sadness has befallen the world? Now, there is much heartbreak, the children are besieged in fear, They are fed no more, The mountains are filled with terror, The roars of the wild beasts are heard instead. There is much fighting and the stark rays of doom now fill the gardens, The bees and butterflies have disappeared, The children breathe the dust of war as they grow, to remember their lost right to peace. No more is laughter found, not even in the creaks behind closed doors, no more does the land belong - to you, A stranger walks the streets, as if, it was his and his alone. It is an arduous task I see, To revive your land and make it yours once more. Have you lost what was once yours? It is indeed easy to lose your heritage, to a world that glitters in gold. That Golden Peace that you have forsaken, Will remain in the past, history - a longing for peace in the shadows. -shobana-

Poverty and neglect will break you on most days. But when these two become a part of your daily life, what happens thereafter is what the girl who never gave up in life, experiences on a seemingly odd day. At the break of dawn I set my feet on a dusty, rugged path. Sinking into oblivion I was, fighting the dancing hazy lines that were in front of my eyes. No matter how intractable they were. Trudging forward I entered an alley. Where buildings, more like skeletons, stood in their ruins. While I cold-shouldered the pebbles and glass pieces strewn here and there. Starving and bone-tired, I felt somewhat dizzy. On one of those very pebbles, I tripped and fell down flat on my visage. With blood-spattered knees and shards of glass struck in my palms, I was waiting with agony for the moment when the world around me would go entirely dark. It is then when I saw him come running towards me. Blurred vision, a frail body failed to realize whether he was an angel or a mystic or a savior sent by the Universe. I woke up to find myself in a paradise-like place. Where exotic birds chirped and the scent of flowers wafted through the windows. “What ails you dear?”, asked that savior as I got out of my trance. A terrified I, taken aback asked him, “Why did you bring me here?” What I thought as unabashed, was actually compassion. He took my hand and opened my fist to show the bruises left by glass. He then poured from a jar mystical water on my palm. As the water touched my skin the wounds vanished. Was he a magician? Reassured, I asked for water and in return drank nectar. I asked him, “Who are you?” He smiled wide with tranquility. In the blink of an eye we were walking down the road. It was sunny and peaceful unlike before. He walked beside me occasionally adjusting his pace. I kept admiring this tall stranger as he had not revealed his identity yet. At the end of the road, from where the bustling city started, he halted and turned me around holding my shoulders. He said, “Every time you fall down, you'll find me running towards you.” But now we'll part ways, till I meet you again.” Dejected I asked, “What if I never fall down again? Shall we never meet then? Stranger to me you'll remain always, since I don't know your name.” He saw the sorrow in my eyes and said, “We are destined to be together in all phases of life. What is in a name?” As I turned around to walk away, I thought to myself, “Is he for real or just a mere embodiment of my hallucinations?” He kept waving at me till the point when I could see him no longer. The city was doing its usual business. A few yards away, sang a ballad-monger. Contemplating I was the meeting with this stranger. How time changed my perception, I hope to fall down again.

What was yours was not just a name For it teases at the opening of my ears Faintly riding on the melancholy of the silence The cruelty of fate or so it was named as such My palms were as empty as the sky The feel of your face like clouds drifting I would hold them upward And they shall wait for a storm of you forever The seas await a departure that a heart cannot bear to witness The sound of a voice, the feel of a face, the sight of you It grows ever so vague and silent Like phantoms as the dawn breaks What was mine was not just a name For it sails distant lands but never drops its anchor Like a poem unspoken by your lips Parts of you that I could never touch again Shadows of you linger and stroll about Forever without the presence of a master They sit and lean by the rocks you once touched Your outline on the walls of a humble home Time was an enemy But for that moment it was my friend Like gasping for air, I traced your figure, your lips, your fingertips The final plead before the goodbye I am but an empty abode And on my walls are traces of you It yearns, it calls, it haunts How long shall it yearn How long shall it call How long shall it haunt For the sound of your voice, the feel of your face, the sight of you.

In silent rooms, where shadows speak, A voice within feels faint, yet weak. The past, a ghost that lingers near, Breeding silence, feeding fear. Yet deep inside, a whisper's cry, Yearning to break free and fly. Speak your truth, let shadows part, Find your voice and heal your heart.

It's the month of poetry and I'd like to share this poem with you. On Love: When I sought love I knew It smelled of roses Fragrant and sweet When I followed its scent I found you. On Life: A flower sprouted within the cracks of a sidewalk Not many noticed it But it withstood its ground Just like me it fought for survival Not the rain nor the blistering sun could destroy its resolve to find the strength to stand upright and live. For it knew the day it showed its weakness and let the rain drown or the sun desiccate and if it drooped to the ground the will to fight will end. Through its resilience a bee did find the sweet nectar and the cracked form of the ground radiate beauty. That gorgeous flower that sprang from the cracks one day caught the eye of a photographer and was soon acclaimed As the formidable Flowered pawn. Have a great month of April. Live & Let Live! shobana

Life is meant to be lived before it is too late. Treasure those poetic moments, you will never experience them twice. ( Poem recited on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfzslNFaEn0&t=17s Please like, share and subscribe to the channel.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVRNRZVL Soulful Rhapsody: Step into a world where each note is a heartfelt expression, and every melody weaves a tale of love and longing. "Soulful Rhapsody" is not just a collection of poems; it is a symphony of emotions, an ode to the enduring power of love. Read one of the poems below: I hope you enjoy it. Innamorare The Italian prudent in a small town in Italy Tells us his story A tale about his lost love So callously Slipped through His fingers. He's caught in a tirade Of wishful thoughts Innamorare he declares Is both a curse and a bane A malevolent affection One he foresees As a misfortune. Would he perhaps be right? Not even the picturesque setting Before where he rests His weary feet From his long fatigued travails In search of his Wandering thoughts Gone astray just as his lost mind Has reduced him to madness For a woman's sweet love. Ah, he sees her now among the clouds A tiny pearl at first And then a wondrous sight Of a beautiful outline Of a sensuous woman. Then she was gone. His heart clutched at his bosom Would he find among the throes That walk upon this mighty Earth One as beautiful as her? He had seen her once before Only Once And it was enough To set his heart on fire For a lifetime. -end- Get a copy as a tribute to Valentine's Day A book for lovers to gift, or a keepsake to relive the magic of love. And, if you do, please leave a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Do you want to know The future as it comes Or would you stick your head beneath the sand and show your bums ? If i cant see the nasty world Then the nasty world cant see me Like in the woods a tree falls down Without a sound to see...

https://alittletimewithshobana.blogspot.com

How would life be without you? I struggle to imagine What would i do Without you guiding my footsteps Life is filled with ups and downs, but you have gotten me through them Roads with broken lanes, but you have helped me climb all the hurdles My past was pitiful I didn't have a direction nor did i have a plan but you came along and led me through the darkness Doubts resurface at times because i haven't seen you, but i know you're here with me Your wonders and glory are beyond what man can comprehend and see So marvelous, so true I cried unto you, and you answered my cry You turned my frown upside down and gave me a million reasons to be thankful I open my eyes I'm in awe of your love and compassion towards us I can't thank you enough, but i'll keep on thanking you I may not be able to express my thoughts very loud and clear, but i express it in the way i know to show my appreciation Father , i love you Always and forever. This is actually a poem i wrote for quite some time, but i was waiting for the right moment to post it. It talks about our Faith in Our Lord Jesus christ and generally of the journey of Christian faith. At times we as christians doubt, and that's human, but Jesus hasn't given us any reason to doubt us, as He shows it from His actions. He loves us with all our imperfections and flaws. I have gone through my fair share of never feeling good enough and like i was too damaged to even acknowledge God, but God doesn't see us as broken. He sees us as His children. As a christian, doubts comes but the only way we can overcome them is to pray. Jesus died for us, and there's no doubt about that. No matter how imperfect we think we are, He assures us that we are perfect and we are His children and that he'll always be there, in both good and bad times. This reflects genuine love and i'm happy that i can call Him my father. Follow christ and you'll genuinely experience the true meaning of happiness and the future Jesus has planned just for you, his child and remember, Jesus loves you.

I'm a female manipulator Something I've come to terms with It's easier than you think Call a boy pretty once He's yours forever I feel justified in my behavior Man after man lying to me when I didn't know better I lash out and retaliate after pain I take it out on others But I'm not hurting the ones that hurt me After years of constant disappointment I'm wounded I feel justified in my behavior Because my type is not-great people Almost a vigilante Except I forget I'm perpetuating a cycle People hurt people because they were hurt themselves By someone else in this pattern of abuse I feel justified in my behavior I'm open about this fact Right away I warn that I'm a bad person Run, if you don't want to be led on because of my confusion I don't feel justified in my behavior Some of them are innocent Great people But they give me the attention I so desperately crave So I hold the carrot and push them away with the stick I don't feel justified in my behavior Because I don't feel anymore Any remaining shred of vulnerability, trust, and whatever the hell else Has been stripped away from me I wish I could fall in love Instead of constantly doubting if I even like this person Allowing for vulnerability, even to myself It is even worse to not know how you feel Than to feel it I would sacrifice myself to constant disappointment For even half a chance of some kind of emotional stability I'm consciously aware of what I need to change Except I can't It feels better to inflict some of my misery on others I don't want to process it Relive and put myself through more trauma A knife in a wound can't be pulled out Otherwise you're gone Be patient, wait for a doctor I've been stabbed Some of the wounds so old they've begun to heal around the blade I haven't arrived at the hospital yet Only loaded onto the EMS gurney I'm a female manipulator And I'm sorry for those I've hurt

Ladybugs A symbol of luck Back-to-back blessings A rush of maturity seizes my heart A headstart on the love of life Salve slathered over my scarred soul

If you're lying, You are incredulous You allow penny truths to spit off your tongue Into my slot machine heart The rush of a gamble on love, The rush of winning or losing Why aren't you perfect? You showed me you were perfect. What did I do to change things? The wrath of my embarrassment is closing in I thought I'd want you to own my flesh and bone Soul, body, and mind I don't know if I believe you I do know I love you Without you I am not me

"Hope's Walk" I am here alone to the dark of a desolate beaten path, often traveled and packed by the weary tread of wayward soles. The path of heartbreak, the path of shame, a path so broken not cared to name. Time a wisp to lapse, pain no stranger to drive me through memories looked upon as wasted endeavors. Memories that do bring joy that fades to strife, and comfort that bleeds into remorse. I'm shut out and shut off from the world around me, portals closed and electric off, I peer through the darkness to shout against a storm of internal anguish. My soul a blackened lit candle suffering a tumultuous gale of doubt and ridicule. I strive to yield not to the hurricane of depression derived from what is and what may be. I struggle to lift myself from the well of the fallen to set my mind free, free from the torment, from the turbulent turmoil that festers within me. Faith, I keep, in me, my spirit, my light within. I will walk this weight weathered path that stretches before me, ever optimistic that my second chance will find me... or I... find my second chance. (Image courtesy of www.freepik.com)

Whatʼs your purpose in life? I still remember that event caused me to muse about this question deeply and to find the answer to it. The 16th of March. In the morning we didnʼt go to school. Bad news was being announced about the enterance of Coronavirus in Uzbekistan. Before we were banned to only celebrate holidays , but now we had to stay at home. Online lessons began but both teachers and pupils were not ready and their knowledge about social networks was too poor: Internet speed was very slow, few pupils participate and lessons were plain-vanilla: teachers gave questions and we wrote answers. Even so I thought I could feel the real diseaster of this illness when it entered in our village and especially, examined me with my beloved people. My dearest person, second mother – my granny was infected with Coronavirus. I was shocked because a thing I was mostly afraid had happened. She was taken to the hospital but I couldnʼt go, any family members also. At that moment the only reason calmed a bit was that my uncle who worked as a doctor was with her. I gave the same questions to myself again and again: When? How? Two days passed. Each time whan I asked my father how She was he didnʼt reply. " The virus progresses hard in old humans. Currently, the only hope is from Allah" - I cried when my mom told me doctors' conclusion. Uncle brought granny to home. Still she was breathing hard. He tried to put on oxygen mask on her mouth but she refused it, nobody persuaded her and also didnʼt take any medicine and just said "Anyhow, I donʼt want". Tears in my eyes I begged "Please, do something, uncle". Actually, I had already comprehended why she was doing like that. Maybe she would be very happy to die. Being happy to die so strange theory at first sight. However every patient who are fighting against a serious illness need bizarre courage. In old age your body becomes weak itʼs quite difficult to find this courage. Also she was left on the shore with the waves washing over her, unable to drown The next day everyone woke up except my angel granny- could She sleep inwardly? I was depressed. Itʼs so tough when you are seeing that your loved one is dying but canʼt do anything, itʼs pretty hard when you canʼt huge him or her for the last time, itʼs challenging when you know that you wonʼt be able to hear their voice anymore. After several weeks I could smell a sweet aroma of something while I was tidying the room." Grannyʼs flowers had spouted" I mumbled and went outside. These flowers' perfume is unique and fascinating thatʼs why every year in spring nearly all neighbours and relatives used to visit to pick up them. For this reason I had named them " Grannyʼs flower". She always said " We all die, our bad or good name stay afrer us". She died but her name is alive in her flowers or in people's memory who have smelled her flowers and in her words said to me. My grannyʼs death taught me to live my best life today and to be strong and that everything is temporary and doesnʼt become as we want. I was going to resemble my granny and I kind of reached my goal . In quarantine in a district near us a heavy rain and flooding took place, as a result population's homes ruined and stayed under the water. Because pandemic it was more difficult to help them. I decided to help them in spite of far distance. I posted challenge with headline "Dear compatriots, you are not alone! We are with you!". Soon many individuals commented and suppoted them. After that around the country the old, adults, children shared own stuff, clothes, toys, food with them. That occasion gave belief to me. Then I started my action online. Firsty, I prepared quiz and puzzles to make lessons more funny. Later I organised online competitions and gathered thousands of youth around me. Coronavirus wonʼt disappear, it will continue but canʼt appall us who are experienced now like before. Years ago, there wasnʼt a cure for flu, smallpox and whatnot thatʼs simple presently, this one will be too. Thereʼs one good thing in a bad one. Pandemic united the whole world together and on account of it humanity realised that they werenʼt be able to beat the virus lonely. I prefer to recall the period of COVID-19 with good aspects. We didnʼt know that Coronavirus would come and cause millions of people's death. And we donʼt know what will happen after a minute. Majority wait the arrival of time yet you are not able to guarantee you will wake up tomorrow . So today live your best life. I trust I found my true self by Coronavirus.