Poetrypea, April 2020 with audio recording.
Hi there and salaam. I hope everyone is feeling well and self-isolating.
This is my first recording of haiku poetry and I must thank Patricia for the encouragement. So, I have written three monoku about my deep feelings of self-isolation as I feel being a part of this world I am also emotionally and mentally affected by this pandemic. So the first monoku is about the lockdown where I feel I am in self-imprisonment, though this haiku is inspired by the lockdown in Kashmir where people are suffering due to hunger and mental health issues. Let me first read it.
evening wind the fence wire collapsing the stars
I always observe the various aspects of nature very closely that influence me deeply. Evening wind is therapeutic when I feel I am down or tired of my daily work routine and it soothes me when I want to meditate in an open place after having a busy day. In this context, evening wind carries the invisible particles that are poisonous maybe due to coronavirus that influenced my thoughts, creativity, and feelings. I feel as if I am in a prison where I cannot use my freedom of expression, can’t make constellations with stars, and can’t even share my feelings. The fence wire symbolizes the circumstances around me that are really disturbing due to some bitter realities.
My second monku is about my favourite theme ‘shadow’. I have written many haiku about shadow and darkness so this one I shared on twitter when Nicholas asked to share a haiku about this pandemic. So, let me first read it for you.
self isolating my shadow in the dark
This is my first experience of self-isolation for this long and I am still not ready to accept it or I may need more time to get adjusted to the new normal. I feel as if this self-isolation has taken away my urge to write as nothing inspires me. I feel myself in the dark all the time as there is no way of doing catharsis or ways to dig out myself and bring out some unknown feelings on the surface.
A different and a difficult experience of my life…..
My third haiku is about coronavirus as we have been hearing this word for about a month and ironically we still can’t see it. It seems like everywhere and we are in a constant fear of contracting it. So the haiku is….
invisible enemy lurking through both sides of the window
Being an invisible enemy who attacks us but doesn’t show its identity is more disturbing both physically and mentally. We are in a constant fear of contracting it no matter how careful we are. Both sides of the window are more like my inner self and my surroundings that make me uncertain and suspicious about the current circumstances and I feel as if I am being watched by this invisible virus. This is not less than a nightmare.
So here are my three monoku about covid 19. I hope you will like it. Please don’t forget to share your views about my thoughts and Asian accent. :) Bye.
My first haiku recording of monoku on a British podcast, Poetry Pea, Series 3 Episode 9: A New Dimension,
https://poetrypea.com/1826-2/Comments:
"I loved hearing Hifsa Ashraf. Her reading made me think suddenly of people who are caught on their own in this lockdown. Hearing her verbalise her thoughts was really powerful. I have been following the progress of her work and I believe some of what she does leading the field in the English language haiku genre.”
Mark Zero, A British Haiku Poet.
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Your commentany was great Sis, your accent is soft and gentle and I loved all your covid ku, I completely understand what you mean by lockdown causing us to be uninspired, I have felt just the same, I've been relying on Baffled and his prompts to stir me into action.
Marilyn Ward
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Great Hifsa! Thanks for sharing. Love your haiku interpretation of Covid. Enjoyed your lovely accent too.
Christina Chin --------
Lovely podcast, greatly enjoyed listening to both of you. Hifsa, your COVID monoku are brilliant!
Faye Brinsmead
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Love love love this! It was great to hear Hifsa Ashraf reading her poems and lovely to listen as she explained what they mean to her. As always a great offering by
The Poetry Pea.
m.shanepruett
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I really enjoyed listening this podcast, great work dear Patricia and great monoku with awesome commentary Hifsa di beautiful voice and very meaningful words
Bhawana
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Great podcast.
The Poetry Pea & intriguing insights on your monoku thought process Hifsa about your accent since you asked & no holding back I rate it a 7/10.
Fractled
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Just listened to the podcast, and I enjoyed your monoku (especially the second one & your commentary on it)
Theresa--------
was just listening to haiku; liked all three of them and the sincere descriptions. and voice does add an interesting dimension to it. thank you and
The Poetry Pea
himanshu vyas
