Suspended Somewhere Between, Poems by Dr. Akbar Ahmed

The essence of one of the poems, "What I Seek," is primarily what each one of us seeks. I found a deep resonance with him in this poem. It lights up the spark of the universal embrace of Jesus, Muhammad's desire to imbue a sense of equality through humility, Mahatma Gandhi's jihad against oppression and temptations to revenge, and Martin Luther King's firm belief in human dignity.

::::::::

One of the qualities of a great book is its ability to transport you into a world of your imagination, into your own islands of life where you visit and dwell in a period that is sacred to you, undistributed, private, secret and untouched for years -- it's your reverie. A home stacked away in memories where the mere recall of your loved ones gives you a sense of security, peace and safety. As you read through Dr. Ahmed's poems, you may find an anchor for your own expressions.

The book "Suspended Somewhere Between" is a collection of poetry by Dr. Akbar Ahmed, who is aptly called "the world's leading authority on contemporary Islam" by the BBC News. Dr. Ahmed seeks what a majority of us seek; to live in harmony with what surrounds us -- life and matter.

The essence of one of the poems, "What I Seek," is primarily what each one of us seeks. I found a deep resonance with him in this poem. It lights up the spark of the universal embrace of Jesus, Muhammad's desire to imbue a sense of equality through humility, Mahatma Gandhi's jihad against oppression and temptations to revenge, and Martin Luther King's firm belief in human dignity. They were the models of excellence on the earth that he invokes to put us on the pathways of peace. It is indeed a poem for men and women who have an open heart and an open mind towards fellow beings.

I was tense reading the title of another poem, "The Train to Pakistan". Years ago, I had differed with Dr. Ahmed's take on Jawaharlal Nehru in his movie "Jinnah," which he had gracefully acknowledged without agreeing. Being a Subcontinentian, I am equally committed to the peace and prosperity of the region and have come to admire Dr. Ahmed's efforts in prose and now in the form of poetry. As the poem moves forward, I paused at the Killing fields of Punjab and visited Sunder Lal in Bangalore, who had came in the other train to Delhi and witnessed the slaughter of his family members in the same Punjab but on the other side of the divide. It was painful but the wise man was not hateful.

Dr. Ahmed puts me at ease about the carnage. Instead, he expresses his gratitude to his mother who had asked to take the next train, and blames none for what happened to his would-have-been train where no one survived. It is the statesman in him that seeks solutions rather than blame, just as my father taught me one of the important lessons of life -- to build cohesive societies. During the communal riots in Jabalpur in the 60s, both Muslims and Hindus were killed in the mayhem. He was clear and named the individuals without emphasizing their religion to be blamed. He said you cannot blame the blameless intangible religion and expect justice, we must blame the individuals who caused it and punish them accordingly for disturbing the peace and thus bring a resolution to the conflict by serving justice. I see that value jumping out of Dr. Ahmed in that poem and that is the definition of an ideal Muslim; one who seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill.

Definition Of Poem - News


Suspended Somewhere Between, Poems by Dr. Akbar Ahmed

I see that value jumping out of Dr. Ahmed in that poem and that is the definition of an ideal Muslim; one who seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill. The poem "Khyber Pass" moves you again; especially those who are seeking to create a



Art vs science no more with poetry comp

'It's still in the process of developing an exact definition but at its most simple a sci-ku is a short three lined poem about the sciences.' The art form is inspired by the contrast of images and ideas characterised by the haiku, but unlike its



Saying it again, now
Saying it again, now

I saw it as a poem and wanted to capture that side of it that I felt had not been satisfyingly expressed in the other translations,” she recalls. “The history of the Gita, is a definition of history itself,” for the tradition includes its long history



Students' experience with poetry cannot be quantified

I understand that there are correct solutions for "x-squared minus 2x plus 1 = the square root of 625," a correct definition of "bicameral legislature," and a correct date on which the Treaty of Versailles was signed. But what is the correct adjective



Knocking at the Door: Poems About Approaching the Other edited by Lisa Sisler ...

Wegener later explores the otherness of mother in relation to daughter, a definition by comparison. The speaker is what she is because her mother was what she was. She ends the poem with the following lines: unseen, we have nursed through hunger's red




The Songwriter and the Poem – Great Writing – Utne Reader

I don’t know how to talk about what poetry is, except to talk about the experience. It’s good to have your hand on the rudder, and know when the current is moving powerfully. One thing I’ve enjoyed noticing is that both classical Zen haiku and my favorite American music have at least one little trick in common. I’d describe the way that classic Zen haiku works in this way: The poet describes the world, and describes his own mind, in one deft and beautiful stroke. It’s like a report of what’s in front of and behind the eyes.

Holland sees no distinction between the poetry she loves and the music she listens to: Morrissey and The Smiths introduced her to the work of Oscar Wilde, and she keeps Emily Dickinson’s description of poetry in mind when she’s writing songs. “I remember Emily Dickinson’s very useful definition of poetry: that which makes one feel as though the top of one’s head has been taken off…That same sort of physical cue is exactly the kind of meter I check when I’m deciding about music.”

It may be cliché to claim songs are poems, but in this short essay for Poetry , Holland makes the claim convincingly.

Source: Poetry  

Image by Glutnix , licensed under Creative Commons .

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.


Twitter

Douglas Moore Jr Hi Beck, hope you check out my Zeta dedication poem "The Definition of A Zeta Woman From A Sigma Man".


Douglas Moore Jr welcome to the blue & white family numba. hope you check out my Zeta poem "The Definition of A Zeta Woman From A Sigma Man"


Dre White Real definition of love!!! Blog 6 at DreSpot.com, check out the poem of the day also!!!!!!


Douglas Moore Jr I tagged you on facebook with my Zeta dedication poem "The Definition of A Zeta Woman From A Sigma Man".


Douglas Moore Jr great avatar Soror. hope you check my Zeta dedication poem "The Definition of A Zeta Woman From A Sigma Man" on facebook.


Definition Of Poem - Bookshelf

The definition of poetry, an essay

The definition of poetry, an essay

THE DEFINITION OF POETRY: AN ESSAY. BY HORACE P. BIDDLE. CHICAGO: PHtENIX BOOK AND JOB PRINTING COMPANY, No. 51 South Canal Street. 1873- POETRY ...

A manual of composition and rhetoric, a text-book for schools and colleges

A manual of composition and rhetoric, a text-book for schools and colleges

From these elements it is not difficult to proceed to a definition of poetry. Definition of Poetry. — Poetry may be defined to be the product of an excited ...

Literary Remains

Literary Remains

DEFINITION OF POETRY. Poetry is not the proper antithesis to prose, but to science. Poetry is opposed to science, and prose to metre. ...

The Phrenological journal and life illustrated

The Phrenological journal and life illustrated

The Zoroastrian definition of poetry, which Emerson defines as il inyBtical yet exact," is " apparent pictures of unapparent natures. ...

The Muqaddimah, an introduction to history

The Muqaddimah, an introduction to history

The definition of the prosodists, according to whom poetry is metrical rhymed speech, is no definition or description of the kind of poetry we have in mind. ...

Information Source Directory


Poem | Define Poem at Dictionary.com
Poem definition, a composition in verse, esp. one that is characterized by a highly developed artistic form and by the use of heightened language and rhythm See more.

poem - definition of poem by the Free Online Dictionary ...
Definition of poem in the Online Dictionary. Meaning of poem. Pronunciation of poem. Translations of poem. poem synonyms, poem antonyms. ...

Poetry - Wikipedia
Article about poetry, including a brief history of the art form, notes on verse forms, information on various poetic periods and movements, and links to sites with selected poems.

Definition of Poem - BrainyQuote
Definition of Poem. Poem. A metrical composition; a composition in verse written in certain ... A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a ...

poem - Definition of poem at YourDictionary.com
Definition of poem from Webster's New World College Dictionary. Meaning of poem. Pronunciation of poem. Definition of the word poem. Origin of the word poem
TOP