Tapping at My Chamber Door —— POEM 𝒃𝒚 Nasir Karim

Tapping at My Chamber Door

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My braincase pulses with relentless knocks.

Unseal the door,

The pedestrians crave sanctuary.

Unseal the door,

The city grapples with an onslaught.

Kerosene falters, feet inverting steps from refugee wounds,

Knocks echo on matchstick-pressed knuckles,

A crimson rapping,

Fiber entwined with gunpowder,

At the dwellings of the circumcised in the urban sprawl,

At windows,

Upon the charred temple,

Beneath the scorched brick wall,

At an age that fractures,

On the web of aged veins,

Steam rises from blisters on seared skin.

Amidst the red glow of fears’ brimstone,

Knocks resonate from the flames,

A percussion of blood-curdling screams.

Unlatch,

Doors of refuge, someone,

The mind weary of the relentless cacophony.

Unlatch,

Someone,

City doors.

….

(Translated from Urdu by Dr. Bushra Shoukat)

****

Authors

Nasir Karim Khan

Nasir Karim Khan Born on September 3rd, 1970, in Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan, is a poet and educationist. He holds a Master's degree in English Language and Literature from Punjab University, Lahore. After teaching as a Lecturer of English Language at Pakistan Embassy College in 1997, an Instructor at Vocational Training Institute Bahawal Nagar in 2000, and Communication Skills at Islamia University Bahawal Pur, he founded Springtide School in 2005. He has published collection of Urdu poems “𝘠𝘢𝘩𝘢’𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘵 𝘜𝘥𝘵𝘪 𝘏𝘺”(Naught, But the Sands Dance Here”) in 2000. He has also translated poems and short stories from Urdu to English. He received the Best Emerging Poet Award from BBC London in 1989. His work has been featured in various publications, and he’s going to publish his second book of poems this year.
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Dr. Bushra Shoukat

Dr. Bushra Shaukat is a PhD in English Literature (Applied Linguistics). Currently, she is serving as Head of English Department, Islamia University Bahawalpur (Bahawalnagar Campus). She has also served as a Visiting Professor and Lecturer at Manchanabad Campus of Sargodha University. Dr. Bushra Shaukat’s articles often appear in the national and international English journals. She also presents her papers in domestic and foreign conferences. Dr. Bushra Shaukat not only has a keen eye on modern English literature but she also reads Urdu translations. She has translated many works from Urdu Literature to English.
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Haseeb

10 days ago

good poem

arooj

10 days ago

lovely poem

Nasir Karim

8 days ago

Thanks for providing me space in the journal.