I am not fascinated

I am not fascinated
by big names and lofty titles and
long runs after things that are illusionary.
But to fascinate me
tell me your heart’s desires
and where do you yourself want to be .

I am not fascinated
by yatches, watches , gadgets and
all the one thousand one glittery things around.
But to fascinate me
tell me how you looked inside
and realized that not every jewel you desire .

I am not fascinated
by drunk nights, hungover mornings and
the new names for the ancient drinks.
But to fascinate me
tell me about deep thoughts in high moments
and what you still remembered the morning after .

I am not fascinated
by beauty , fashion, and
all other things that will be gone tomorrow.
But to fascinate me
tell me did the beauty also have a heart
and were the depths of her intellect really deep.

I am not fascinated
by shamans , mystics and
the one hundred one teachers for hire.
But to fascinate me
tell me was the mystic's jounrney just for himself
and all guidance to others a freely given gift .

I am not fascinated
by your conquest of weaker souls and
all the rest that is external to you.
But to fascinate me
tell me did you conquer you own soul
and finally leave your ego by the roadside .

I am not fascinated
by who did you love and
who did you betray.
But to fascinate me
tell me of the pain when the beloved left
and silence that you heard in the beloved’s absence .

I am not fascinated
by tales of crushes, fantasies and
a dozen shades of lust.
But to fascinate me
tell me did you really love the beloved
and was that love pure enough to be called love.

Syed Ashraf Husain ' दाग़ ' ' ڈاگ ' 

P.S. Sometimes I cant write poetry for days and sometimes I finish a whole poem in 30 minutes flat. Its always how heavy the heart is.

Reading List 3rd-7th Nov

First of all Eid Mubarak everyone. I hope you have a great time. Am at Delhi away from it all but theek hai. Parents are on Hajj and mashaallah it is going on well.
So my reading list for the last couple of days
(a) MUST READ- an article exploring both the assembly line and the issues at Maruti’s Manesar plant which has been rocked by violence and unrest. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2601780.ece?homepage=true#.TrX_9FaaRsk.facebook . I am reminded of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times by this paragraph in the article. For a worker, line acceleration can be a harrowing experience. “When I first began working for Maruti, assembly lines used to run right through my dreams,” said a worker with a laugh, “These days I suppose I'm so tired that I don't get dreams anymore.”
(b) For a change just view these pics http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/10/text_copy_block_goes_here.html Some of the pics are so moving. The wasted childhood of the innocent refugees from Afghanistan.(1st, 7th, 17th) The mud caked bodies of the child labourers in the brick facility in Pakistan (5th) .  The Syrian children playing is joyous and the 10th pic from Libya is ambiguous . I cannot be sure if the lady is sad or happy. Her eyes seem so deep and moist. Then the 29th pic is totally exhilirating for it’s the vulnerable kids doing maths( can read the sums). And I realize why I must search for the sublime in life as the obvious can never hold my attention for long.
(c) Good read- In this moving article one of the three American hikers captured by Iran explains why solitary confinement is also torture. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/opinion/sunday/in-an-iranian-prison-tortured-by-solitude.html?_r=1
(d) Mildly Interesting http://mashable.com/2011/11/06/justin-bieber-infographic/ Justin Bieber success analyzed
(e) Against all Odds. Story of a woman Egyptian entrepreneur http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/11/02/egyptian-entrepreneur-shares-lessons-from-her-playbook/
(f) A pretty good blog with translations of Urdu poetry http://siyaah.blogspot.com/ Must read for poetry fans
(g) Just loved this qawwali sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The lyrics are so beautiful and I identify with them. Lyrics here http://nusratqawalies.blogspot.com/2011/01/barsoon-kay-intizar-ka-waiting-for.html and the qawwali on youtube here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JPb_Dw-N3E. Two of my fav lines from the Qawwali are
1) “Allah, zindagi say kahan tak nibhaoon main,
Kis bewafa kay saath mera naam likh diya”
Allah, how long do I remain faithful to life,
That(life) faithless person whom you have tied to my name
2) “Bikhri padee thee toot kay kaliyaan zameen par,
Tarteeb day kay maine tera naam likh diya”
Tarteeb=give form, organize
"Flower buds were scattered around on the ground,
I gave them shape and wrote your name"

Reading List Nov 1st-2nd

So my reading list series of posts stumbles but continues-
(A) MUST Read- An analysis of the new Middle East. Its important as the world has changed. Mubarak is gone and so is Gaddafi. What will be the new governments be like. In Tunisia a religious leaning but democracy supporting party has come to power. It may scare people especially in the west that the Islamists are coming to power but it may instead be the best thing that ever happened. The Middle East countries have few bogey men and these governments will be judged on their own merits.  Crescent Moon, Waning West( The Economist) http://www.economist.com/node/21534782

(B) The income in equality debate at NYTimes where collumnist David Brooks insists there is a top 1% inequality and then a college vs non college educated inequality. The original article is here http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/opinion/brooks-the-wrong-inequality.html?pagewanted=all . A retort in The Economist is here http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/11/inequalities and Paul Krugmans analysis is here http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/graduates-versus-oligarchs/
(C) Interesting read on Chaebol in South Korea. Also contrasted to Japan (Olympus’s 36% fee for MnA led me here) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol
(D) Toyota Unveils machines to help the sick and old moon( If you have been following the upcoming greying of Japan you would understand) http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/hardware/toyota-unveils-machines-to-help-sick-elderly-move/articleshow/10565048.cms
(E) Some amazing CV for designers http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/30-amazingly-creative-examples-of-designer-resumes/
(F) Gaddafi’s legacy at the New Yorker http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/07/111107fa_fact_anderson
(G) Ad agencies face talent crunch for online advertising http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/business/media/ad-companies-face-a-widening-talent-gap.html?src=me&ref=general
(H) Airlines cutting boarding time or at least trying to (Classic operations case) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/business/airlines-are-trying-to-cut-boarding-times-on-planes.html?hp