Poetry Corner* Dr. Archan Mehta

 Song of Despair

If I could reveal just

One thing, it would

Be this:

Something precious was lost:

The void between money

And power and

That sparkling hour,

Where dreams were

Possible still:

But the black hole

Consumed it like locusts

Crawling up slowly

All over your body.

Between cars and consumption

And material gain,

Something precious was lost:

In this opaque, desperate silence

Which haunts ghosts and phantoms,

And dampens the spirit

Of high voltage lanterns,

Something precious was lost.

Something precious was lost

Between violence and peace,

Where the pretty breeze 

 Roamed and once called home,

Has been reduced to stone.

Something precious was lost

For the bees stopped

Humming their tune,

The birds stopped chirping,

The volcano fell silent,

And the oceans stopped churning,

And the earth stopped rumbling,

Wild fires were burning

And scorched the earth,

The clouds stopped crying

And people started dying,

Left and right,

You could feel the

Tremors shake you,

And heaven forsake you,

The earth gave way

To a new dawn.

Why, you could

Feel it in the air

And hence this

Song of despair.

BIO:

Dr. Archan Mehta has earned a PhD. in Management. Currently, he is a Consultant and Writer based in India. In his free time, Dr. Mehta likes to stroll in the outdoors and party with close friends. He is also fond of meditation. Please feel free to reach out to the poet at archanm@hotmail.com at your convenience.

Image credit: Freedigitalphotos.net

Poetry Corner* Dr. Archan Mehta

 

Nature of Poetry

 At the start, 

I did not know, 

I was not aware, 

I did not understand, 

How poetry, suddenly, 

Entered my life 

Or whether poetry 

Entered my life at all. 

The experience was 

Mysterious and I felt Mesmerized by the

Power of verse, 

Gentle readers, 

And I stood motionless, 

Staring blankly into Outer space, as if one 

Possessed by demons, 

Or a fire that burns inside 

Your heart and turns the 

Earth under your Feet into ashes: Poetry would not Talk with me, 

Poetry would answer 

None of my questions, 

But poetry cast a Magical spell over me

And held me 

In awe and fascination.

Poetry covered me in 

Mud and brandished 

A sword and talked 

In several tongues: It was as if poetry 

Possessed a will Of its own: Poetry was a snake 

And I was charmed 

By its magnificence. 

Suddenly, Poetry smoked a cigar, 

And, later, a pipe

And started to Sing in an alien voice. 

Suddenly, Poetry turned Diamonds into stone, 

Water into wine, 

Poetry healed the sick, 

And, later, poetry 

Walked away in

 A silk dress and High-heeled shoes, 

Poetry smoked 

A Cuban cigar, 

Poetry ignored me 

And did not bother 

To say even good-bye, 

I tried to reach out, 

But poetry avoided Me, deliberately 

And intentionally, 

And, finally, poetry 

Was lost in the 

Shadows and Gone forever? 

Would I ever Experience poetry again?

BIO:

Dr. Archan Mehta has earned a PhD. in Management. Currently, he is a Consultant and Writer based in India. In his free time, Dr. Mehta likes to stroll in the outdoors and party with close friends. He is also fond of meditation. Please feel free to reach out to the poet at archanm@hotmail.com at your convenience.

Celebrating Our Successes With Some Summer Fun!

 

Welcome back, readers!

As many of you are aware, 2024 marks a milestone anniversary for Poets United, and we're super excited to still be on the poetry scene, advancing the arts and advocating for poets everywhere. From hosting creative forums for writers of all genres, to open mic events, to conducting educational workshops, to sharing resources through our monthly blog. 

It's been a long journey... with many twists, turns and lessons to navigate our path.

I like to think of it as "fun with a purpose."

We thank all our supporters and poetry "family" for patience, support, and good vibes. Both over the years, and over the miles.

In times like these, arts are more important than ever. Artistic expression helps to chronicle important events of our times for future generations, and provides a lens for others to see the world from a broader view; expanding horizons. It also helps us to feel connected collectively and share universal experiences.

We're grateful to be "vessels."

HERE'S WHAT'S COOKING THIS SUMMER... 

On August 23rd, Poets United will host a summer Dusties Bash from 3:00-7:00 p.m.

"On the menu" will be trivia games, poetry readings, music, food and fun. Invitations have gone out in the mail. Space is limited. R.S.V.P. requested.

Congratulations are extended to one of our poetry circle participants. Henry Oaks has recently published "Black Rhymes With a Reason." A book signing is slated for this summer. At a bookstore near you. Stay tuned! 

A special thanks to Poets United's sponsors and supporters. You Rock!   

Your recent contributions financed the following:

SWAG BAGS FOR PARTY ATTENDEES & POETS

WRITERS' JOURNALS

POSTAGE FOR MAILINGS, ADS, AND SUNDRY ITEMS

OUR HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO...

CHICAGO WRITERS ASSOCIATION

CHICAGO INDEPENDENT BULLETIN & HURLEY GREEN

MARCIE HILL

JORDAN S.

Our summer book club is presently on hold, as we iron out a few important details.

Wishing all of you an awesome summer, with lots of interesting and cool things to write about! Until next time...

Summer Updates For 2024

Greetings Readers,

Hope you're embracing the joys of summer and doing well.

Like numerous artists and organizations, Poets United had many challenges and  setbacks resulting from the pandemic of recent years. But, rest assured, we are still active on the poetry scene. As the expression states, " tough times don't last. Tough people do."

We have attended field trips, conducted strategy meetings to determine our new direction, and have hosted private readings at local poets' homes.

For this milestone anniversary year, we have lots of exciting events and activities on the agenda. So stay tuned!

This blog is slowly but surely being updated to reflect what's to come.

As always, thanks for your support. Thanks for reading.

 

Poets United Recognized by Inaugural Poet Laureate

 

Poetry Corner* Featuring the Works of Henry Oaks

 

TO WIN YOU BACK

Still thinking of you

Each and everyday.

Hoping what was started

Has not faded away.

If it's your heart that I've failed to win

Then I've committed a dreadful sin.

And I must put your short memory on a shelf,

And figure out how to redeem myself.

I WANT...

I want to shower in rainbows with you

Until they flood the ground.

And shooting stars come raining down.

I want you to feel my vibrations,

Until they unlock your deepest sensations.

I want to hold you in my arms in the moonlight,

Until our souls merge and take flight.

I want us to eat from the same tree.

I want to wake up and feel you next to me.

BIO:

HENRY OAKS is a local poet, freelance writer, and activist. His work has been published in several media outlets. His debut poetry book is slated to be released this summer.  

Poetry Corner* Dr. Archan Mehta

 

Political Rhetoric?

When was the last time

An “official,” that is,

A politician or bureaucrat

Gazed deeply into the eyes

Of a starving child,

Living in a remote village,

Dotting the landscape

Of our benighted country?

When was the last time

The rich and powerful

Shared a meal

With troubled farmers

Who toil in our fields?

When was the last time

A celebrity traveled

By foot to provide shelter

To the homeless?

When was the last time

Our so-called democracy

Provided a voice to

The voiceless, oppressed and marginalized

By actually counting their votes?

When was the last time

The voter had a choice

Between black versus white?

Who will focus

On the grey areas?

Who will envision

A nation as a

Many splendored thing?

Pray, which leader will

Rise, phoenix-like,

From the ashes,

And live to

Fight another day?

How will we make

Up for lost time since 1947?

When will our millionaires

And billionaires start

Paying their dues?

When will our government

Stop lining the pockets

Of the selected and chosen few?

When will we find

A seat at the table

At global seminars, conferences,

Convocations and assemblies?

When will we create

A welfare-oriented State

Directed toward the common weal?

When will we join

The community of nations

To find solutions to

Common challenges on planet Earth?

When will we join hands

With people from all over the world

To create a better world

In which everybody wins?

When will we stop dividing

Our world based on

Winners versus losers?

When will our planet

Earth achieve unity consciousness?

When will we learn to transcend

I, Me and Mine

And what’s in it for me?

And instead, help 

And support each other?

Will we be able to

Avoid World War Three?

Will we ever achieve

Peace and harmony?

Will we be able to

Convert hell on earth

To a heaven on earth?

Do we have hope

And optimism for tomorrow

On a planetary scale?

Can we look beyond

Our banal and trivial

And petty concerns

And, instead, learn 

To focus on our common humanity?

Note from Blog owner: This poem is republished for this blog from June, 2023-- for all my new readers in 2024.

Thanks for reading. 

*The views expressed by this poet/author are not necessarily those of Poets United and its affiliates.