A scar of another war

A seven year old girl knows,

What it feels when it is the last hug,

To her hero, who will be remembered

As country's hero.

Lovers lie to each other,

As they promise to meet again,

The whispering tale of love,

They lock the love with the last kiss.

Kite flies and falls,

With dust of red storm,

Sunflowers stoop as the sun fails,

To give warmth and promise,

There is a shower of fear,

As the feathers and beaks fall.

Dogs bury the wings,

Mourning the last flight in the winds.

In the chaos, there is a pause,

A streak of hope on the streets of Sumy,

A trumpeter plays the Ukraine Anthem.

And the crowd cheers Salva Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

Hey there! I am Shehnaz Gujral and have pursued my career of two decades as an academician. I have to my credit my debut e-book, Antecedent Compendium (Puffins Publishers), a collection of sixty-six poems. I also have the privilege as a featured author in anthologies, Musings Mundane and Mortal (Tacenda Publications), One Hundred Shades of Love (All India Forum for English Students, Scholars and Trainers-AIFEST)

Literature in English has always fascinated me. I was introduced to the world of Shakespeare by my grandfather whom I lovingly called ‘Darji’. It would be mesmerizing to hear his explanations of ‘Much Ado about Nothing.

I love to express myself through writing. I have been writing on and off for quite some time but recently I have come to discover that I can be more consistent in it. I write prose but poetry comes more naturally to me. Poetry is the best form of meditation for me. The way words connect with me feels like a safe haven inside. My feelings and observations rhyme effortlessly, and my words are my best friend. I connect to the inside, detaching from the outside world.