from a
corner
© Farouk
Asvat
We, the Guys at Jupiters,
On the corner of Mint and Bree,
Dream about dating saucy film stars
Driving posh cars
And playing soccer like magic;
- But the
Groucho Marx son of a businessman
Fully
dressed in paintbrush moustache and rimmed glasses
"Believe you me"
Comes to
expound on the virtues of Islamic socialism -
While we go on chowing
The famous fish an' chips
- hot and halaal, with masala,
from the
famous Solly's Corner -
Unable to limit ourselves to a Gandhi diet
- You should know that
Here we know the Sheriff and his Junior sidekick
Who know all the cops by name,
So some try smoking a joint behind the classrooms
Even though they wouldn't be found dead
With a cigarette in their cupped hands
By their orthodox fathers coming from the shops
Chiqo, Gaff, Faqir and Bra Frooks are the regulars
Playing "There’s one of two possibilities” -
Expounding on the fate of a piece of paper
Sending it on a fantastic journey
From scribbled schoolbook to discarded cigarette
butt
From classy serviette to embossed toilet paper in
heaven
After the movies at the Lyric Bioscope on Friday
Night
There's always toasted steak-and-cheese from
Kentucky
Before we go dancing the night away at the Matador
On Saturday Night we wear Arnold Palmer cardigans,
Arrow shirts, and spit-shining Jarmans
- For we wouldn't be seen dead in a Gandhi suit -
To go slow-dancing at the Chezgay
With Fataar and The Flames
Perennially singing "For Your Precious
Love"
Before we take the girls from Bosmont home
After the inevitable smooching at the Zoo Lake
On Sunday Mornings
We’re all dressed up in Levis jeans, BVDs and
Tigers,
For the match at the famous Fietas Grounds
With drunken Scoba and her motley crew
Enthusiastically cheering along with the excited
crowd
Up the
Callies!
Up the
Dynamos!
For in soccer we never play a Bhamjee shot
Always making the perfect pass
© farouk asvat
composed: 1990 [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."
● Léonicka, 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 *****
''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!!!!! … very
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:
Fordsburg:
from a corner was previously
published in:
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (piquant publications, p60, 2006);
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (kindle, 2014);
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (amazon
paperback, p58, 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 #fordsburg #from #a #corner
● poems @ https://faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.co
● linkedin @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/farouk-asvat-52a6b642
● wikipedia @ https://en.everybodywiki.com/Farouk_Asvat
● all my books @ https://www.amazon.com/author/faroukasvat
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