Afzal Ahmed Syed 'A Dog's Death'

Yesterday, I didn't post a poem because I was out all day and then sprained my neck (or something) and then it sort of rained and there was no question of being online.

This morning, I am sifting through things I do not want to and with a sense of relief, I found someone on twitter had linked to this poem by Afzal Ahmed Syed. That in turn made me pull out his collection Rococo and Other Worlds, from which this poem below:

 Rococo and Other Worlds

 Rococo and Other Worlds

 Rococo and Other Worlds

A Dog’s Death

by Afzal Ahmed Syed translated by Musharraf Ali Farooqi

Air Vice-Marshal Manocher Nadirshaw
taking his dinner
during a civilian flight
chokes on a bone
and dies

Throw another dog
before just such a bone

South Asia Calling

These days, when I cross roads, I scurry across them in case cars won't stop.
I see Volvos and Hyundais everywhere.
I look for drivers on the right instead of the left.
I see parking signs that look like timid imitations of those back home.

There's a crowd outside a building? Of course I want to join it to see what's happening.
Then from a few weeks ago, I remember a door we passed by on the way to Snug Harbour in NOLA.

Asia is calling. It's time to go home.