Thursday 9 December 2010

Moondustwriter's Thursday - Featuring More Fall Poetry Finalists

One Stop Poetry Features Finalists from the Fall Poetry Competition “Through a Child’s Eyes”

Have you ever gone out into a garden in the dead of winter and found an unexpected flower blooming? I feel this way at One Stop Poetry. I am constantly being astounded at the beautiful writing and talent of the poets we have the honor of featuring. Here are two of those talents. Ninot Aziz and Shashidhar Sharma entered the fall poetry competition and were finalists. Their poetry submissions are below.

If you have  not already read the winner's poem, we want to remind you to go to Spark Bright Magazine and read our Renee Sigel's poem.

Ninot Aziz was one of One Stop Poetry's fall competition finalists. I'm giving you a tiny peek into her life as a poet because we want to come back and do a feature after her book comes out.

Born in Tasmania, Australia - she is a Malaysian living in Kuala Lumpur.
Her family: husband and five daughters are the joy of her life
" that was why this poem was a joy to do - it was
inspired by my 5 girls. Poetry is like breathing to me, it came naturally - I was 11 when I  wrote my first poem , it was on Florence Nightingale. Now I am trying my hand at Malay pantun and French poetry too."

"Now, the added bonus of doing poetry is because the poet blogsphere is such a wonderful community!"


Sleepy Eyes Wide Awake

Mirror mirror
Dancing reflection
Dame Margot perfection

Aquamarine towels
Wrapped tightly
Mermaid tail deep sea

Upside-down table
A chug chug boat
In a castle's moat

Dreamland eyes

Standing poles
Prepping up white sheets
Mountain high peaks

Kitty cat
By the kitchen stand
A panther on Lost Island

Swirling clouds
Kissed by sunset
Cotton candy fete

Playtime eyes

One Stop Poetry would like to congratulate Ninot as she also has a book coming out this month.

My first published book published locally on Malay legends was FROM
THE WRITTEN STONE , now, FROM THE GATHERING is due out in December -
the latest entitled HIKAYAT - From The Ancient Malay Kingdom is due
out in 2011.

www.poemsbyninotaziz.blogspot.com
www.pantundanselokaninotaziz.blogspot.com
www.lapoesieparninotaziz.blogspot.com

Shashi was one of our four finalists and is no stranger to One Stop Poetry. I am enclosing an excerpt from a recent interview. You are welcome to read more about Shashi in that One Stop Spotlight.

Why did you start writing poetry?

Shashi: "I started writing poetry and blogs through very interesting but slow development. Being born in a Brahmin (the priest class) family at a place (located near Buddha’s Nirvana Place as well as one of the most holy city in India, Varanasi) spirituality was in my blood, if I can say so...

...This inner journey needed an expression externally. Hence, I started writing my thoughts—first on the personal blogs and then later on publically, in order to give body to my thoughts, experiences, and learning; which I can go back to, to relive, re-learn, re-collect. In the beginning, I started taking pictures, but then they were inadequate as they gave those powerful places, nature, emotions a body but not the soul. So I started writing poetry, free form of Haiku’s, my thoughts, etc..."

Butterfly

Look, there she is, there on the window pane
A new friend from the dreams last night
As she promised to teach me how to fly
In sunshine and in rain

She is bright and beautiful, pinker than my ma’s cheek
Her wings have so many colors
Like the rainbow I painted last summer, for Pa’s Birthday
Before he left for the war, to make money for us to eat

Tell me butterfly, how does one eat money?
How does one go to the war?
I don’t want Pa to go to the war; I don’t want any money to eat;
You know, whenever I hug him, I don’t feel hungry at all

Oh! Butterfly, why are you flying away - so far?
Out side, the day is still full of light; sure you can wait a little more?
Ma will be back soon, from her nightshift, and will let you in
Don’t you see, I can not; I am in the bed, too sick to unlatch the window bar

Butterfly, my dear Butterfly, you have teach me how to fly
I promised Pa - a hug tonight, I know where he “wars” now;
Ma showed me the other night, when she cried
 “There, Kalina, there he is, the Evening Star”

You know Butterfly; I love him so much,
Much more than I love Ma,
Really! You must teach me to fly, as I have to go now
You see, my Ma does not even smile much

@Shashi Oct, 2010

contact information for Shashi

There is a book in the works for Shashi as well.
'Kalina', a book of poems, about an young girl, and her love, yearnings and life in
Greece.

16 comments:

One Stop - The Place For Poets, Writers and Artists said...

Thanks Ninot and Shashi for entering our poetry competition.
Best with your books.

ninotaziz said...

Dear Shashi,
Congratulations! It is an honour to be featured with you.Your poem is full of sorrow and yet the butterfly offers a buffer to a child.

Thank you Leslie for this unexpected announcement for From The Gathering and Hikayat. I am letting my publishers know now. they will be thrilled.

And I am glad you liked Sleepy Eyes Wide Awake!

Helena Malheur said...

Congratulations to Ninot and shashi! I enjoyed reading both pieces.

Shashidhar Sharma said...

Thanks Leslie for posting this one. I am really enjoying my time at One Stop Poetry, that is making me grow internally with their so many interesting inputs and finding great writers at one spot... Let me know, if in any way i can support this wonderful team, blog and the talent here. Although online I am doing as much as I can to spread the word around ...

Dear Ninot, I was already impressed with your works which I have had a chance to read through one shot Wednesday and this one goes straight to my heart..
You know I envy you, with little angels, fresh from God, around you, you must be having a great time. The girls in the house make it home to come back to ....
Om Namah Shivaya
Shashi

Brian Miller said...

way to go ninto and shashi...and best wishes for your books...that is awesome. what is always cool for me is that when we vote on these we never see the names so it is a pleasant surpise to see who it was...and you are two that i enjoy...congrats again...

dustus said...

Congratulations to Ninot and Shashi for their respective efforts both online and with their upcoming books! It was a pleasure getting to know Shashi through his OS spotlight, and I'm looking forward to Ninot's feature. Congrats again.

libithina said...

T'was a cotton candy treat ~ from beginning to end ((Love)) ~ Lib ~

libithina said...

9 December 2010 15:10
libithina said...
T'was a
cotton candy fete ~ from beginning to end ((love)) both posts ~ Lib ~

Chris G. said...

A very talented pair! Many thanks to them for entering the competition, and sharing with us some lovely bits of poetry. Congratulations to you both.

Marshy said...

well done to both ninot and shashi..as bri says its always nice to know who wrote the poems after judging them...both great reads cheers pete

Maude Lynn said...

Fabulous works! Congratulations to them both!

Unknown said...

Well done

Carrie Van Horn said...

Congratulations Ninotaziz and Shashi you both are well deserving of being featured here....beautiful poems both and worthy of being finalists!! :-)

kaykuala said...

Ninot Ma'am,
This is most deserving. You've earned the honour as the selection was based on credit and talent without identity revealed. Your books are awesome testimonies. Keep the good flag flying!

Shashi,
You're equally deserving!

Congrats to both!

Caty said...

congrats to you both. Your writings are always so beautiful! I always enjoy what I read

Asobime said...

Congrats to both of you...Lovely poetry indeed!

Lady Nyo