Poetry In Our Time

Amit Shankar Saha

 

Undecember

 

All throughout the year I steal

some days from dreamy weeks,

days post storms and cyclones,

when all is calm once again,

to build a thirteenth month

and name it Undecember,

a month, filled with days so light,

that it levitates out of sight.

 

In this invisible month

of stolen days all in red,

not found in calendars,

are moments when we met

to inhale each other’s breath

until the truant winds swept

the seconds like dead leaves

into the dust of memories.

(From the book Undecember: The Thirteenth Month, Musca Press, USA, 2025)

 

2

 

Footprints in Water

 

When we became as old

as the ancient peepal trees,

you passed thin like a reed

through the filaments of time,

and I searched your depths

to discover emptiness.

 

On the banks of Sarayu

you strolled alone the ghats,

while I came like a wisp,

whispering in the wind

the nothingness of space

and the birth of consciousness.

 

Far away in the night

when time crowds my room,

and memory becomes faint

while jostling for place,

breaths become conscious,

and longing leaves a trace.

 

When on the pristine banks

of the sacred Sarayu

you return to roam the ghats

and moor your mood somewhere,

you find me waiting like water

footprints left by your footsteps.

 

(From the book Undecember: The Thirteenth Month, Musca Press, USA, 2025)

 

Amit Shankar Saha is a short story writer and poet. He is the author of five collections of poems – Balconies of Time (2017), Fugitive Words (2019), Illicit Poems (2020), Etesian::Barahmasi (2024), Undecember: The Thirteenth Month (2025) – two non-fiction books – A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Essayist (2023), Transitions: Indian Diaspora and Four Women Writers (2023) – and has co-edited a collection of short stories titled Dynami Zois (2018). His first poetry collection Balconies of Time was nominated for the Griffin Poetry Prize. He has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of Net Anthology and has won the Wordweavers Prize both for short story and poetry. He has been a delegate writer at literary events of Sahitya Akademi,

 

 

 

 

Vyacheslav Konoval(Kyiv (Ukraine).

 

Black mouth prophet growls vaguely

in the languishing silence,

destroying the peace

of a sleeping homeless person.

 

He conceiving a grudge against sparrows,

an old assessor of a million city,

shoots a passer – by’s dog by eye.

 

***

A prickly scout

 

in search of forest truth

glistened with little eyes,

He raises a sharp nose.

 

Having limped on the dorsal spears

of red – cheeked apple prey,

the prickly animal disappeared from the horizon.

 

The Monarchical Confederate

 

From Tudor’s blood,

the son of God appeared

when the crown was torn to pieces,

a regent limped in the rear.

 

Under the crown with Jacob

went Frederica’s daughter,

and Jacob created the church,

forty – year peace finally reigned in the state.

 

The duels quickly stopped,

the plebs reconciled with the baron,

justices of the peace appeared,

the stronghold of small landowners prevailed.

 

From lethargic sleep

The Royal Customs Service came to life,

The Hebrides islands first saw people

in time when white smoke was coming from the factory.

 

Canadian land will know «Nova Scotia»

the colonists swear for Irish fields,

Macdonald’s mutiny sank suddenly.

 

Vyacheslav Konoval is a Ukrainian poet.

His poems have appeared in many magazines, including Anarchy Anthology Archive, International Poetry Anthology, Literary Waves Publishing, Sparks of Kaliopa, Reach of the Song 2022, Diogenes for Culture Journal, «Scars of my heart from the war», «Poetry for Ukraine», «Rhyming», «La page Blanche», «Impacted», «Military Review», «The Lit», «Allegro», «Innisfree poetry journal», «Antunes Galaxy Poetry», «Ekscentrika», «Mere Inkling», «EgoPhobia», «Fulcrum», «Omnibus», «Lothlorien Poetry Journal», Revista Literaria «Taller Igitur», «Tarot Poetry Journal», «Tiny Seed Literature Journal», «Best American Poetry Blog», «Quilled Ink Review», «Chronograph Poetry Journal», the Appalachian Journal «Dark Horse», «Agape», «Mascara Literary Review», «Gray Sparrow», «ArLJo», «Ekstasis», «The Bloom Litarery Journal», «Novus Litarery Journal», «Lyrical Somerville», «Charleston Poets», «Briefly Zine», «Varied Spirit», «Taos Poetry Journal», «The Skinny Poetry Journal», «Academy of the Heart and Mind» Journal, «ARIEL CHART» Int

Vyacheslav’s poems were translated into Spanish, French, Scottish, Italian, and Polish languages. Vyacheslav’s poems were presented at the War Art Project. He is a member of the Federation of Scottish Writers.

 

 

Vijay Rahi ( Hindi poems)

 

Translated from Hindi by Simantini Ramesh Veluskar

 

Summers

 

The pond’s throat has dried up

Nearby standing flora have bent towards

Trying to keep it alive,

The wind is shedding their leaves,

On its scorching body.

Suddenly, a wave stirs in its chest,

A woman comes, carrying a pitcher, singing a song,

To quench its thirst with water.

 

The lost Poem

 

I wrote a poem about my father

Gathering great courage, last year

That has been a while the poem is lost

The loss pains me as much as losing my father would

It feels like

I have lost my father all over again

 

World

 

Whenever I tried to grasp it closely,

I have failed.

Now I comfort myself with the thought

That it’s meant to be merely gazed upon

Not fully comprehended.

Memory

Fennel have been harvested

But not the fragrance

Stalks have the same scent

And will remain in the air for days

Even when you are gone

It will scorch

It will burn

And collapse

Like your memories

 

Storm

 

When storm comes

Colours of sky and earth changes

Flora change their sound

Everyone turns pale

Piles of dust accumulates

On the souls along with the body

When storm comes

Everything turns upside down

In the storm Anwar’s coat goes in Radha’s courtyard

And remains trapped there in the clothesline

In the storm

Mohan’s handkerchief reaches Shabina’s rooftop

And entangles in the TV antenna

In the storm

Poet’s mind goes far away to his beloved

And stays there till the storm subsides

When comes back

Poem comes all along

Poems are the ‘Daughters of storm’

That runs in poet’s mind

 

Vijay Rahi, is  a young poet and writer, is a vibrant voice in contemporary Indian literature. Vijay Rahi weaves his creative tapestry in Hindi, Urdu, and Rajasthani with equal finesse. His poems, ghazals, and essays grace the pages of esteemed journals, magazines, blogs, and websites. His poetic oeuvre has been translated into English, Urdu, Marathi, and Nepali, resonating with diverse audiences. His verses have found a place in over a dozen anthologies and have been broadcast on Doordarshan and All India Radio. He has recited his poetry at prestigious platforms, including the Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi, Raza Foundation, India International Centre (New Delhi), and the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Forthcoming Work

His debut Hindi poetry collection, ‘Door Se Dikh Jaati Hai Baarish‘ is slated for publication by Rajkamal Prakashan Group, New Delhi. Current Occupation

Assistant Professor (Hindi) at Government College, Kanota, Jaipur.Contact

Phone: ‪+91–9929475744‬‬

Email: vjbilona532@gmail.com