26 November 2013

EVERYTHING I TOUCH

EVERYTHING I TOUCH 
© Farouk Asvat  

Everything I touch
Bruises me

Everything that caresses me
Taints me
With the scent of death:

     So much blood
     Is wasted in youth
     That cannot be gathered
     Into the hands of wisdom


© farouk asvat

composed: 04.09.1986 & 11.07.1990
                  [Alexandra, Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid]

     for Lionel Abrahams in Alexandra Township

[] Acknowledgements:

Everything I Touch was previously published in:

     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (piquant publications, p35, 2006);
     www.faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com (26.11.2013);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (kindle, 2014);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (amazon paperback, p33, 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

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
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 wind still sings sad songs #everything I touch


19 November 2013

THE BURGUNDY ROSE

THE BURGUNDY ROSE 
© Farouk Asvat  

The burgundy rose of my love burns
Into a festering wound
The bloodied roses of my revolution
Decay into dark bouquets of death:

     Weeds never wither
     They linger
     Like wreaths of despair
     Broken bones in winter


© farouk asvat

# composed:
     16.06.1986: (10th commemoration of 16 June 1976);
     16.06.1986: flowers [Alexandra Township, South Africa under apartheid under apartheid],
     18.07.1990: weeds [Alexandra, under apartheid];
     07.04.1991: the burgundy rose [Alexandra, under apartheid].

     for Lionel Abrahams in Alexandra Township

[] Acknowledgements:

The Burgundy Rose was previously published in:

     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (piquant publications, p34, 2006);
     www.faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com (19.11.2013);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (kindle, 2014);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (amazon paperback, p32, 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

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
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 wind still sings sad songs #the burgundy rose #burgundy #rose  


12 November 2013

GLASS

GLASS 
© Farouk Asvat  

Shattered pane
Lies in the dusty street:
     The looking glass of youth
     The mirror of adolescent confidence
     And the windowpane of winter coziness
Lies crunched in the gravel

As the broken soles
Of schoolchildren flee
The arrogant boots
Of earnest policemen


© farouk asvat

composed: 27.08.1986 [Alexandra, Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid]

     for Lionel Abrahams in Alexandra Township

[] Acknowledgements:

Glass was previously published in:

     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (piquant publications, p33, 2006);
     www.faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com (12.11.2013);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (kindle, 2014);
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (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

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
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 wind still sings sad songs #glass


05 November 2013

THE FRONT DOOR

THE FRONT DOOR 
© Farouk Asvat  

     This emblem of character
     This portal for lovers
     Is a skimpy friend,
     This husher of squabbles
     This barrier against thugs
     Is a flimsy divide
     - Not made of T'zitzikama imbuia
       But blue painted pinewood:
       Skewed planks fitted together
       Decorated with an old brass knob -
     It is poor against the wind
     And at keeping out drunks;
     But still I close it
     Against the icy scalpels of winter
     Against the windy songs of August
     Against the earthy smell of the rains
     Where worlds can be reduced
     To designer homes.

But now
This welcome barricade
Is also an invasion
Expecting a knock at anytime:
A familiar face
Inviting you to a holiday in prison
Or a comrade
Bringing you a friendly death threat

© farouk asvat

composed: 05.06.1986 [alexandra township, johannesburg, south africa under #apartheid] 
___________________________________________________________________________    
§ THE WIND STILL SINGS SAD SONGS by FAROUK ASVAT

"Currently reading a book of incredible poems by @faroukasvat
 called ''The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs''.
 The title poem brought me to tears."
● LĂ©onicka, DynamicAfrica

AMAZON 5-star review *****
"If you like poetry you’ll love the way this poet writes.
 His voice and thoughts speak volumes in a way that can be understood by all.
 - an excellent read'' - Leslie Howell

GOODREADS 5-star review *****

re: ''She Loved Me''
''So few words conveying so much. Beautiful bitter-sweetness.''
● Philip Low, G+

"The legend of poet extraordinaire Farouk Asvat: like vintage wine, proper poetry matures with time, and like vintage art the voice and wisdom of a poet worth the name is timeless."
● Mphutlane wa Bofelo, kagablog

"a guided tour of the souls of the South Africans he writes about and cares about.
 Hauntingly universal"
Thomas Rome, New York

"they are very powerful literary missiles: capable of the most beguiling love poetry,
 as can be seen in "Love Devours Me" ''.
Asha Naidoo, Legal Resources Centre, at book launch

"You are amazing!!!!! … vey impressive".
● Jill Townsend, Council of Grandmothers, Ojai, CA, USA

"The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs" is an important addition to any discerning reader's literary collection."
● Victor Metsoamere, Sowetan
___________________________________________________________________________    
[§] 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 (literary criticism)

all my paperback & kindle editions
__________________________________________________________________________    
[] acknowledgements:
     for Lionel Abrahams in Alexandra Township
The Front Door was previously published in:
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (piquant publications, p32, 2006);
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (kindle, 2014);
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (amazon paperback, p30, 2014).
__________________________________________________________________________    
© 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 yuan (ren men bi) or US$1,500.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat
is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $20 & kindle @ only $5
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons #of #words #comparative #literature #literary #criticism
#the wind still sings sad songs #the #front #door