29 May 2012

SOMETHING LINGERS

SOMETHING LINGERS  
© Farouk Asvat 

If there is no first coming
There are no second thoughts
Even though the flames are out
And the night is dark

But something lingers

The architecture of the wind
The splendour of the shooting star
The meanderings of the mind
The ululating dunes
Linger

Even when the pane is misted over
And a heap of silence lies between us
Even when only a line spun by a spider
Connects across the empty vastness of the desert
Something like love lingers
Even in animosity


© farouk asvat

composed: 1985 [Cape Town, South Africa under apartheid]

[] Acknowledgements:

Something Lingers was previously published in:

     Realities (Blac, Cape Town, p11, Spring 1985);
     A Celebration Of Flames, (donker, p51, 1987);
     A Celebration of Flames (Heller Fund, UC Berkeley, California, p43, 1988);
     Iets Blijft Er Hangen: Dutch translation by Irene Scheltes (1989);
     A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p52, 2007);
     www.faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com (29.05.2012);
     A Celebration Of Flames (kindle, 2014);
     A Celebration Of Flames (amazon paperback, p52, 2014).
______________________________________________________________
[§] Books by Farouk Asvat:

Sadness In The House Of Love (novel)
The Gathering Of The Storm (novel)
I Dream In Long Sentences (poetry)
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (poetry)
A Celebration Of Flames (poetry)
The Time Of Our Lives (poetry)
Bra Frooks … (poetry)*
The Paanies Are Coming (short stories)*
In The House Of Love (novel)*
Weapons Of Words (comparative literature & literary criticism)

¨ all my books are now available on amazon: in paperback & kindle
______________________________________________________________
© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly & nonprofit purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at: farouk.asvat@gmail.com

[] please check out my blogs @:





books by farouk asvat: www.faroukasvat-books.blogspot.com

[] also link up on:






amazon kindle author @ www.amazon.com/author/faroukasvat

_______________________________________________________  
IETS BLIJFT ER HANGEN 

     Dutch translation by © Irene Scheltes 

Als de eerste toenadering er niet is
Volgen er geen gedachten,
Ook al is het vuur gedoofd
En de nacht donker.

Maar iets blijft er hangen:

De architectuur van de wind
De flonkering van de vallende ster
Het doolhofvan de geest
De jammerende duinen
Blijven hangen

Zelfs wanneer de ruiten beslagen zijn
En er tussen ons een massa stilte ligt
Zelfs als slechts het draadje van een spin
De lege uitgestrektheid der woestijn doortekt
Blijft er iets als liefde hangen
Zelfs in vijandigheid

     Dutch translation by Irene Scheltes

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat
is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $15 & kindle @ only $5
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons of words #comparative literature #literary criticism
#a celebration of flames #something lingers #something #lingers


22 May 2012

ADVICE FOR A MOTHER ...

ADVICE FOR A MOTHER LOOKING FOR HER CHILD
AFTER A DAY OF UNREST  
© Farouk Asvat  

     for the children of Palestine & Azania 

Mamma,
If your child is not home
You will find her
At the police station

Mamma,
If he is not there
You will find her
At police headquarters

Mamma,
If she is not there
You will find him
At the local clinic

Mamma,
If he is not there
You will find her
At the hospital

Mamma,
If she is not there
You will find him
In exile

Mamma,
If he is not there
You will find her
At the mortuary

Mamma,
If she is not there
You will find him
In the cemetery

Mamma,
If he is not there
You will find
She is disappeared

Mamma,
If you cannot find them
You will find them
In a mass grave


© farouk asvat

composed:
     after seeing images of the first intifada on tv in Holland:
     10.12.1987 [The Netherlands];
     25.04.1988 [Germany];
          (South Africa under apartheid);
          (Palestine during the first intifaada).

[] Acknowledgements:

Advice For A Mother Looking For Her Child After A Day Of Unrest was previously published in:
     Tribute magazine (Tribute, p139, October 1990);
     Descant (Descant, Toronto, Canada, # 69, vol 21 (2), p7, Summer 1990);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (piquant publications, p92, 2006);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (kindle, 2014);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (amazon paperback, p90, 2014).
___________________________________________________________________________

<> blog archive: 22 may 2012
___________________________________________________________________________
[§] Books by Farouk Asvat:

Sadness In The House Of Love (novel)
The Gathering Of The Storm (novel)
I Dream In Long Sentences (poetry)
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (poetry)
A Celebration Of Flames (poetry)
The Time Of Our Lives (poetry)
This Masquerade (short stories)
Bra Frooks … (poetry)*
The Paanies Are Coming (short stories)*
In The House Of Love (novel)*
Weapons Of Words (comparative literature & literary criticism)

¨ all my books are now available on amazon: in paperback & kindle
______________________________________________________________
[] please check out my blogs @:


[] please join me on:

______________________________________________________________
© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly & nonprofit purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at: farouk.asvat@gmail.com

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat
is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $15 & kindle @ only $5
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons #of #words #comparative #literature #literary #criticism
#azania #southafrica #apartheid #palestine #intifada #unrest #child #children
#the #wind #still #sings #sad #songs
#advice #for #a #mother #looking #for #her #child #after #a #day #of #unrest




15 May 2012

AUTUMN

AUTUMN  
© Farouk Asvat  

Winter comes dancing
Swirling brownpaper leaves
On the rainy tarmac
Reflecting traffic lights
With a hint of mist and cold
In the warmth of the evening sun
Where sycamores stand naked
And workers huddle past
Engrossed in their overcoats


© farouk asvat

composed: 1986 [Mayfair, Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid]

[] Acknowledgements:

Autumn was previously published in:

     A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p26, 1987);
     Herfst: Dutch translation by Irene Scheltes (1989);
     Screens And Tasted Parallels 2 (Palo Alto, USA, p11, 1990);
     Sesame 14 (Renoster Books, p3, Autumn 1991);
     A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p31, 2007);
     www.faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com (15.05.2012);
     A Celebration Of Flames (kindle, 2014);
     A Celebration Of Flames (amazon paperback, p31, 2014).
______________________________________________________________
[§] Books by Farouk Asvat:

Sadness In The House Of Love (novel)
The Gathering Of The Storm (novel)
I Dream In Long Sentences (poetry)
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (poetry)
A Celebration Of Flames (poetry)
The Time Of Our Lives (poetry)
Bra Frooks … (poetry)*
The Paanies Are Coming (short stories)*
In The House Of Love (novel)*
Weapons Of Words (comparative literature & literary criticism)

¨ all my books are now available on amazon: in paperback & kindle
______________________________________________________________
© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly & nonprofit purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at: farouk.asvat@gmail.com

[] please check out my blogs @:





books by farouk asvat: www.faroukasvat-books.blogspot.com

[] also link up on:






amazon kindle author @ www.amazon.com/author/faroukasvat

_______________________________________________________  
HERFST  
© Farouk Asvat  

     Dutch translation by © Irene Scheltes  

De winter komt aandansen
Laat bruinpapieren bladeren dwarrelen
Op het natte asfalt
Dat verkeerslichten weerkaatst
Met een zweem van mist en kou
In de warme avond zon
Waar esdoorns in hun naaktheid staan
En werkers opeengepakt passeren
Weggedoken in hun jas

     Dutch translation by kind permission of © Irene Scheltes  

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat
is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $15 & kindle @ only $5
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons of words #comparative literature #literary criticism
#a celebration of flames #autumn  


08 May 2012

THE TIME OF OUR LIVES

THE TIME OF OUR LIVES  
© Farouk Asvat  

The maelstrom of madness returns
Here in the grey arteries of the city
Where again I look for warmth in winter streets

Away from the oppressive nature of Natal
Away from the gentle winds of the Cape
Here it is harsh, the land and its people

So memory stretches
Across the grey waves of the Karoo
Over the formidable Hottentots-Holland
To the peninsula of hope and storms

There among the maroon bougainvillaea
White orchids and purple four o' clocks
Your face is serene

     The full-mouthed hello
     The compassion in the laughter within your smile
     The subtle tease in your strut
     Return like a swell


© farouk asvat

composed: 1980 [Johannesburg - Cape Town, South Africa under apartheid].

[] Acknowledgements:

The Time Of Our Lives was previously published in:

     The Time Of Our Lives (black thoughts publications, p65, 1982);
     The Indicator (Johannesburg, p35, 11.06.1985);
     Exiles Within (Writers' Forum, p3, 1985);
     A Celebration of Flames (Heller Fund, UC Berkeley, California, p16, 1988);
     Güzel Anlarımız: translated into Turkish by İlyas Tunç
     The Time Of Our Lives (piquant publications, p62, 2007);
     www.faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com (08.05.2012);
     The Time Of Our Lives (kindle, 2014);
     The Time Of Our Lives (amazon paperback, p62, 2014).
______________________________________________________________
[§] Books by Farouk Asvat:

Sadness In The House Of Love (novel)
The Gathering Of The Storm (novel)
I Dream In Long Sentences (poetry)
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (poetry)
A Celebration Of Flames (poetry)
The Time Of Our Lives (poetry)
Bra Frooks … (poetry)*
The Paanies Are Coming (short stories)*
In The House Of Love (novel)*
Weapons Of Words (comparative literature & literary criticism)

¨ all my books are now available on amazon: in paperback & kindle
______________________________________________________________
© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly & nonprofit purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at: farouk.asvat@gmail.com

[] please check out my blogs @:





books by farouk asvat: www.faroukasvat-books.blogspot.com

[] also link up on:






amazon kindle author @ www.amazon.com/author/faroukasvat

_______________________________________________________  
[] Güzel Anlarımız  

     translated into Turkish by © İlyas Tunç

Dönüyor çılgınlığın girdabı
Burada, gri atardamarlarında kentin
Yine karlı sokaklarda sevgiyi aradığım yerde

Natal’ın baskın doğasından uzakta
Cape’in kibar rüzgârlarından uzakta
İşte, hırçınlık: ülkem ve insanları

Böylece uzanıyor anılar
Karoo’nun gri dalgaları boyunca
Ürkütücü Hottentus-Holland üzerinden
Umut ve fırtınalar yarımadasına

Orada, kestane rengi begonyalar
Beyaz orkideler, pembe saat dört çiçekleri arasında
Senin berrak yüzün

     Ağız dolusu merhaba deyişin
     Gülüşündeki, kahkahandaki sevecenlik
     Kurumla yürüyündeki ince alay
     Kabarmiş bir dalga gibi dönüyor geri.

     by kind permission of © İlyas Tunç

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat
is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $15 & kindle @ only $5
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons of words #comparative literature #literary criticism
#the time of our lives #the #time #of #our #lives