Three Poems by Ibrar Sami

by Ibrar Sami

Return

The city is strewn with bodies,

Just now, a few return alive.

At the bus stand, a guest was supposed to arrive,

Instead, a famished soul has brought the news.

The stray dogs on the street,

halted in their unadulterated mating rituals,

stand frozen in their tracks.

To uncover the truth behind the veil,

with paralyzed consciences,

every single scoundrel

has lined up in waiting.

Suddenly, a stranger,

carrying a fiery blaze within his chest,

stands at the crossroads,

a torch of flames in hand.

On the bustling streets,

amid mechanical chaos,

a sudden glitch in the metro rail

sets the entire roundabout abuzz.

And—

the migratory birds,

scenting dreams,

spread their fearless wings—

bearing the message of time,

break through the dense fog,

and return in the morning light from far-off lands.

Yet,

it is still not time for your return!

The Journey of Change

Across the city,

it’s a game of chaos and destruction.

Standing under the relentless sun of waiting,

I thought you’d be distressed.

So, in a rush,

I descended at the Bijoy Sarani Metro Station.

Facing a harsh reality,

you,

returning from an imprisoned existence, said,

“Come, let’s explore

the reliability of this city adorned with new graffiti.”

Standing by the window of my mind,

I waited.

I saw—

countless faces painted on the walls.

Diving into the depths of their eyes,

I felt a tremor in my chest,

as if they were telling stories of emptiness.

Suddenly,

a stranger appeared.

Throwing a dying cigarette to the ground,

he crushed it under his shoe,

as if wanting to stomp out

all his anger and despair—

crush you, me,

and the entire city.

With faces pale with fear,

we looked at each other.

Just then,

the moonlight touched us gently.

When the moon sank and the sun rose,

you asked,

“How are you all doing?”

The vultures are always vigilant,

their eyes fixated on the carcass.

But they do not know—

how much solitude it takes

for someone to cross the darkness unscathed,

even now!

Voluntary Exile

In the depths of my eyes, a man waits,

His grotesque face, I see it clearly,

Stepping out from a pocket gate,

He stands at the crossroads,

I feel the tremor of his breath,

With every passing moment.

A beast approaches,

Sniffing the scent of my skin,

I am losing my mind,

Staring at its face,

Helpless,

I tremble in fear,

Waiting for the final fate.

The beast licks, tasting my body,

Marks of blood on the path,

I am losing control,

Staring at its face, I say,

You wretch, how many ways must I explain?

This is not a beast's den,

This is my world,

Where only humanity dwells.

In this city draped in the veil of security,

There is no safety anywhere,

On the streets, inside the house,

Everything is a lurking fear.

Now I live in a wild animal's

Sanctuary,

Returning from voluntary exile,

I watch the game of destruction

Played in the crimson clouds above.