Better Than Starbucks International Poetry March 2018

International Poetry الشعر শ্লোক ကဗျာ ליבע ਪਿਆਰ өлүм

with Tendai Rinos Mwanaka and Rameeza Nasim

SOCIAL MEDIA SWAMP

My eyes start to burn as I

Recount how many hours I’ve

Been sucked into this quicksand

Of comparison, advertising and

Collective loathing.

I thought I came to this place to

Be inspired by successes

To be motivated to be my best.

But all I found were masks,

Concealing people who were dying

Inside.

Pride wouldn’t let them show it on the

Outside

Where people can see

That this solid mansion is only made of bricks

And on the inside hollow.

This beach is made of plastic refuse

And it’s not a place for souls to go.

Maybe it’s a sign I should get off my phone

And wash off the swamp’s grimy flow.

PLASTIC SOLDIERS

The one too young to know the conflict's cause,
They wage war and do as they're told.
In the West they play make-believe battle,
With toy guns and plastic soldiers,
Not knowing across the sea,
There lives those that have it as reality.
Africa loses her children to those who see her young as expendable figurines,
Straining underdeveloped muscles and silent conscience
To bear the weight of death in tiny hands
Too young to comprehend the value of the breath of man.
Desensitized,
Like pre-programmed drones they march on.
They're in the battlefield,
Not for country,
Not for honor,
Not as heroes.
They die without monuments.
Even after losing their innocence

Khwela Nelisa Khethokuhle is a 21 year-old from a small town in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. She is an introvert and enjoys spending her time reading and reflecting. Her interests include languages, astronomy, literature, art and gothic calligraphy. Her poetry is inspired by poets such as Sara Teasdale and Emily Dickinson. She is studying for her first degree at University of Cape Town

I love poetry

Metaphors paint portraits in our dull minds

Onomatopoeias plays DJ to interesting sounds

Similes photograph horrid or wonderful comparisons

Personification acts out human tragedies, comedies...

Rhyming couplets stick together as if they're slow dancing

Assonance's choir of vowels entertains listeners

that's why I love poetry

Eyethu Mfazwe is a spoken word artist from East London, South Africa. She is studying a BA degree at the University of the Free State. Eyethu is a member of and was the Secretary-General for Enactus UFS in 2017. She was also a member of Psychology Students Association.

The nature

Icy Icy heart?

Plea

Bad lucked dealing everywhere

Promise still

Who's the surgery for?

All need performance.

Lay mandates at your desk.

Sinister mission impossible.

WE ARE ALL THE SAME

Saying, "We are all the same.

Metronome and tempo measurements.

Angst.

Hi! Anna!

Remember back the sober days.

Reminisce in november the october days.

Novice nobel intentions.

Rocky path sections.

Pad pals.

Temples.

Deduce destructive notions to dates.

Cold feet, pulling her leg.

Break a leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My love.

Love options.

Oh! We! My mister

Councilman minister!

Rose growing on concrete.

The on and on song.

Over and over.

Building up courage to exercise, No.

My name in that air. Aired out!

Forgive card. Will you play the forgive card?

But love. Ah! There we go.

We say it's skin deep momentarily.

On the call?

She and I had few bible scriptures.

To share.

On the way...................

Maiketso Augustinus Ntsholi. I am Poet in South Africa. I am a 27 year old man in Business Management. I write poetry in both Sotho vernac and English.

PITCH

Pitch him;

We want to hear.

Impeach him;

He has failed.

Ditch him;

He is dry,

Sulk,

Empty,

Broke.

Bury him;

He is a villain,

Fallen,

Dead,

Late,

Obsolete.

IMPOSSIBLE MISSION OR COMMISSION!

When I graduate;

I want to be capped by King Mswati,

Crowned by Queen of England,

Hand shook by Obama,

Smiled at by Khama,

Photographed by Obasanjo,

Congratulated by Putin Vladmir,

Videographed by Xin Ping;

If not, I don't want to be a graduate!

Send me to Oxford, I shall dropout,

Send me to Canada, I say "nada!" in Portuguese.

Send me to Los Angeles, I shall be a lost Angel.

May be try me Arabic language and Islamic teachings,

I shall call self learned.

I was a doctor of philosophy,

I was professor on my land;

But they said we graduated from outdated syllabus;

Teach me new curriculum;

I want to be a true graduate!

Mhondera Chenjerai is a Writer (novelist, author, poet, playwright, song-writer) an Actor and Performing Poet, published in Best New African Poets 2015 Anthology, Zimbolicious Poetry Anthology, and several online journals. He is a Patron and Founder of International Writers Association (IWA), formerly Young Writers Club. Helps to nurture talents and publishes upcoming writers through his literary Organisation. He is a Citizen of the World. His upcoming book of quotes entitled A Case of Love and Hate, will be published by Mwanaka Media and Publishing

Tendai Rinos Mwanaka is a leading poet and writer of the new generation of African writers and works hard to promote African writing through anthologies he has curated and co edited. Mwanaka has been shortlisted and won several writing awards, including being shortlisted for a record 7 times for the UK based Erbacce poetry award, 3 times nominated for the Pushcart, The Caine African Writing Award etc.

*Heo Nanseolhean (1563-1589)

If women have han in their hearts—

To be born a woman

To be born in the Chosǒn Period

To be the wife of a husband

— frost will come in May.

Father let me study poetry with my brothers

until I married Kim Song Lip and I put it aside.

Waiting for my faithless husband, father said

Write a poem

ask yourself,

Who am I?

*Heo Nanseolhean (1563-1589), born Heo Chohui, was a prominent Korean Female poet of the mid Chosǒn dynasty.

first published Paris Press Spiraling Poetry, 2015

DEAR YEOBO,

When you say ramen

then I am ramen.

When you say tea

I am tea.

When you take off your clothes

then I take off my clothes.

If I could leave my senses

I would be no trouble.

You don’t give food

to the fish you’ve caught.

You no longer need to hold me—

please drink your tea.

Yeobo: “darling” or “honey,” a Korean term of endearment

first published in Rattle, 2014

Denied

After fifty, I should want nothing

Your kiss, touch, embrace

not even the smile that says

I know you, Wife,

I should not want

to speak my mouth should be a stone

on this pillow beside you

my mouth is open

with longing hungry

to taste you

betraying my need.

Even stones yearn

flowers grow

between them

glowing the deep tree roots

break apart with life

sweetness pushing through like song.

Unmasked Anthology, 2017

Tanya (Hyonhye) Ko Hong, poet, translator and cultural curator, has been published in Rattle, Beloit Poetry Journal, Entropy, Cultural Weekly, Korea Times, Korea Central Daily News, and elsewhere. She has an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles, and is the author of four collections of poetry, most recently, Mother to Myself, A collection of poems in Korean (Prunsasang Press, 2015). Her poem, “Comfort Woman” got honorable mention in the 2015 Women’s National Book Association. Tanya is an ongoing advocate of bilingual poetry, promoting the work of immigrant poets. She lives Palos Verdes, CA.www.tanyakohong.com

Entirety::

Walk around me and see

If you can find my scent

Hidden behind the layers

Scents of the world

And the men in it

Because last night in bed

I couldn’t smell myself

I couldn’t feel what my

Scent has become

It smelt of betrayal

And lust, of power, and

Of misery,

The long lost scent

Of innocence and me

Is lost, dead and gone

Love me savagely

Maybe then

I’ll smell of you

But still, not my own

Because last night in bed

I couldn’t sleep with myself

I smelt different everywhere

My hands

My neck

My heart

They all smelt different

And I couldn’t sleep

Love me savagely

See if you could

Wash them all away

So only I remain.

Irum Zahra

there is summer outside

casting its full glory

as the monsoon is about to be welcomed

but what about the snowfall

deep inside

the weather of my heart

is frozen...

frozen enough to not let the outer world get into it

I'm dying

dying inside...

let me borrow your sunshine

to survive

to revive

what I was...

Hira Naz

I am the Beauty

I am the beauty

I am the brain

There lurks a beast

And dragons I've slain

A princess, I may be

I warrior, I am

Fighting the world

And becoming my champ

There'll come a day

When the world will see

For women's forgiveness

They will all plea

Guiding Lights

Dreams are but guiding lights
On scapes of crossroads and more
To bring forth the deepness of plight
Rise to the occasion and go on to score

Keep dreaming wherever you are
Strive on the chosen path
Tis not impossible to reach the stars
This world, thus, becomes your strath

Hina Tabassum Khatri is a corporate banker by profession who loves playing around with words in form of poetry and prose.

Rameeza Nasim was born and lives in Karachi, Pakistan. Holding a masters degree in English Literature and Linguistics, she makes her living through writing and Blogging. Poetry is her Passion and it's something in her genes.