The Tea



O' world, I will never forgive you
If you do not bring criminals
To the transparent justice

How victimized me, my country-mates
Whenever my memory pictures that
As I invited high-level officials
Who came for professional training
And study to serve society, in the best way,
Despite that,
It couldn't become the destiny of my country

They came to my apartment in May 1980
In a beautiful summer season
I felt proud that I was their host
I also invited a Pakistani couple
I knew that couple through as my resources
We enjoyed discussions and argues
On various topics, before and after dinner

I was an enthusiast young man,
Carrying in mind, dreams, desires, and hopes
For a brighter career and future of life
Fearless, with the feeling of safety
Since military dictatorship,
I left my beloved land, family, and friends
I stayed unaware of evil-minded and
Secret International Intelligence Agencies

As after dinner, traditionally
I asked my life partner to prepare tea
For all the guests
Suddenly stood that Pakistani lady
She offered to make special Pakistani tea with milk
My partner went with her to help her
After a few minutes,
She came back to the drawing-room
Saying, she didn't need her help
 
In the meantime, the husband of that woman
Quickly whispered something with officials
I neither noticed nor worried
I told them about my constructive
And welfare intentions
For my people in the abroad and country

In a while, tea was ready to serve
My guest brought tea in a tray
Surprisingly, they refuse to drink that
I couldn't figure out what the matter was
I asked them why then, they let it prepared
If they didn't want to drink?
Finally, I asked to drink that lady, who made it
She also refused
I became confused; I said, no issue
I also will not drink if none of you
Her husband slightly shouted at her
Drink, drink, happens nothing
She became compelled and said,
Ok, I drink
I told her if you drink, I drink too
She and I drank the tea

When They all left my home
After two hours, I called my wife
She didn't reply
I stood and went to the door
I looked towards the kitchen
She was not there
I walked to the bedroom
I saw she was resting; I asked her to come
And told there was a romance film on TV
Since she liked such films
She replied she would come in a few minutes
I insisted her come on now
Suddenly, at that moment,
I felt a knife in my stomach
And then hammer in my brain
I shouted, call the doctor
She couldn't realize what the matter was?

A doctor came and went, telling
I was in hyperventilation; I shouted at my wife
No, I had not that, why he didn't send me hospital?
I thought, years and years
What that couple gave me
Chemical, position, or black magic that destroyed
My health, career, future, and life?
Another day in the morning,
My mother-in-law and wife brought me
To an Indonesian an aged woman
As I remember, she said she was not able
To help me
Since the Asian-power was beyond her reach
It is the scenario of my first incident
In my family in law
I was powerless, in indescribable fear and pain
With this feeling as,
I was neither on earth nor sky
As brainwashed for the entire of my life
Surprisingly, she suffered from that as I suffered

I couldn't enjoy my life in Europe since then
When I felt a couple of years better
After divorce, but criminals of a fake prophet
And secret agencies victimized me
With such chemical that caused me
Incurable metastatic prostate gland cancer
I wish the world should believe me
I am telling the truth
I know the names
I realize the faces
I recognize the fake ones
Now I am and waiting for the miracle
Someone from somewhere will appear
To heal me, protect me, and defeat all the rivals
With the consent of Almighty God, Amen.
--------
Note: This poem is based on reality
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Submitted on July 30, 2020

Modified on March 14, 2023

3:29 min read
23

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABX XCBDECF EGXHXXI XXJFXXXX FFXFXIKLX GBXXMF XECNXOXXAAIDXOAF XJPXGXLXFXKXQXRIN DJHXFXJDFGHFXQXRXPJX SIXFFIFXXXMHXBS F
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 3,645
Words 688
Stanzas 10
Stanza Lengths 3, 7, 7, 8, 9, 6, 16, 17, 20, 17

Ehsan Sehgal

Ehsan Sehgal is a Pakistani-Dutch poet and writer. He moved to the Netherlands in 1978 to avoid persecution during the General Zia era in Pakistan and has lived in the Netherlands since. Ehsan Sehgal began his literary career in 1967. His first publication was a novel, but his consequent books were all collections of poetry. He writes mostly in the poetic form called ghazal but has also written Ruba'i, Nazm, Qataa, and Naat. He also writes in the meter called Beher and is well versed in poetry meter of the Urdu language. Zarb-e-Sukhan is a collection of the collections, and he is famous as of that book. Besides the novel and books of poetry, he published a collection of quotes and articles in 1999. In 2010, having lived in the Netherlands for over three decades, he also published a collection of aphorisms in Dutch and having the desire to share his ideas with a Dutch audience. The book, in Dutch De Wijze Weg ("The Wise Way"), was translated by Naeem Arif. The Wise Way is also published in both the English and Urdu languages. Daily Dawn mentioned him, one of those a few Pakistani English poets, whom poetry, has been traveled, and acknowledged abroad and homeland as well. His latest collection of English prose poems is Breathing Words. Various Pakistan singers have sung his ghazals and naats. He has been praised by many Urdu writers and poets, especially by Ibn-e-Insha who has appreciated Sehgal's literary work in his weekly written columns in Akhbar-e-Jahan Karachi. An author writes, "As far as the poetic justice in Sehgal's writing is considered, it is debatable. In spite of some shortcomings, he keeps on writing which is good. His work over a period of time has been acknowledged." A journalist of English newspaper The News International wrote in an interview that "Going through Sehgal's poetry one is instantly aware of a strong message, an intellectual depth, and a sharp poetic sensibility." A famous poet of India Nida Fazli and Pakistani journalist and writer Sultana Mehr compared his poetry with the style of Ghalib and Allama Iqbal. Sehgal has received awards of Molana Maher-ul-Qadri Award in 2001 from Urdu Trust London, U.K, Allama Shariq Jamal Award in 2005 from Bazm-e-Shaoor-e-Adab in Jaipur, India, and Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award in 2011 from Urdu Tahreek Aalmi London, U.K, in recognition of his best poetry works. He has also received Pride of Performance by Maraqaba Hal Holland, The Hague, Netherlands in December 2013. He also writes prose poetry in English. More here -https://www.conservapedia.com/Ehsan_Sehgal more…

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