Friday, January 11, 2008

The Graduate Assembly

Prologue
When last night in obscurity did it to me suit
I started writing of these who took the same route
Now when this journey has met its end
To write about this company I tend
To tell you that in the Graduate Assembly
There were reverends in this company
Now I would tell you all the condition
Of some of them with good reason
That who and what condition were they in
And with a sHORTcut would I first begin.


sHORTcut
A Shortcut there was and that a big man
That from the time when he first began
He acted as a Prime Minister
But in the company if Rice once a good listener.
Imported was he from a foreign country
No mailing address had he in his own country.
An attempt on life he once narrowly escaped
But the whole country he well managed.
Very soft and clear was he to speak
But in front of Boss his voice was meek.
Of economy he was a great expert,
The common lot's feelings he could never hurt.
A very noble pious man was he
And disobeyed Boss' orders rarely.
He was certainly well-known among the poor
A fine of $100 he once paid on a tour.
All of his family lived abroad
But himself was a great patriot.
And full well he served during his term
But was given ticket for '08 Election by none
Once he had a walk with Angelina Julie
Of him I told you everything truly.

Minister of Qunoon
And there was one Minister of 'Qunoon'
Very strict and would get angry so soon.
Well-read was he at studies of law
And never did he speak nothing raw.
A pious man one would like to meet
Birds would die when he would speak.
Spoke he well on everything certainly
But very complex that I understood rarely,
So complex that when he talked of tragedy
To me it seemed a good comedy.
Defended he well every act of government
And did very well like a 'loyal servant'.
That guest was he at Talk Shows, some question 'Why?'
To hear him speak again, I would cry.
So good was the law situation in his time
A bomb blast would kill no more than nine.
Felt the public in his time so safer
That I would never call him 'Bay Zafar'
I must stop telling of him now
I'm crossing all boundaries, I trow.

Hazrat Molana
There was that saint from a noble family
A huge pillar was he of the Graduate Assembly.
Very clever was he to make a plan
An important figure of the MMA clan.
A Madrassah was under construction in his own city
And it was there for the last years fifty.
To Madrassah he invited many for contribution
For every problem he had a great solution.
Born was he of a humble family,
Diesel scam was just a scandal, actually!
A turban on head he always kept
And with every criticism nicely dealt.
Never did one see him do a fault
Anti-government moves he brought to a halt.
But that I am writing against government and all
To ban my writings he may give a call.

Sheeda
A supporter there was of government called Sheeda
Never did he meet no Reema, Meera or Hameeda.
Full well was he a confirmed bachelor
And in the art of talking a great scholar.
A great supporter of the Boss he was
And served his own people with a good cause.
Transferred was he from Information to Railways
To critics he said, "Mend your own ways!"
A blue-eyed boy some called him of the Boss
To any government he never did no loss.
There isn't a lot I can tell you of him
To degrade anyone is not my whim.

Two Bros.
Two brothers there were of the same cast
Their vision broad and the knowledge vast.
Never did they deceive anyone all their life
And in politics certainly took a big stride.
So well they managed every department
That I fear; empty was their upper compartment.
Anti-Boss moves they would raze to ground
And certainly they were well-known around.
Of extraordinary men they made 'Q-League'
And of educating Punjab took the fatigue.
Many experiments did one on Education Department
And made me sure of his upper compartment.
The other one had served as Prime Minister
And could play any role like a great actor.
Now that you may think I'm a punster
Of two bros. I'd talk nothing further.

Qazi
Another saint there was in this heavenly gathering
And usually before a mob roaring
Another member of the MMA clan,
Who kept a beard, a pious man.
Inimical was he to government and fashions
But served the Boss on many occasions.
Qazi he was but not of the Court
Mission Democracy he would never abort.
He's also there in APDM alliance
I'd ne'er say nothing to his annoyance.


Second Lady
A lady there was among these men
She could venture to visit 'the lion's den'.
A 'Soofia' she was among these heavenly souls
Promoting tourism was one of her goals.
Descendant was she of a big family
And speak she would so pleasantly
Hence was she mostly by the Boss' side
And a story there is I cannot hide
That a slap she once received for the Begum
But never she behaved like the earth's scum.
Closely she still remained with the Boss
Of Her Highness I'd dare do no loss.

Boss
The Boss was there the best of all
A brave soldier, strong and tall.
Full honest was he in all his dealings
For His Highness I have great feelings.
A Uniform he wore neat and clean
Leader was he of the Graduate team.
A Champion of True Democracy he was
To serve and protect the nation was all his cause.
The famous Machiavelli he had left behind
Blessed he was with a brilliant mind.
Promise he fulfilled with his Uniform dumped
But the blabbermouths never slumped.
A Muslim he was pious and devout
Still his opponents would always shout
That enlightened-moderation he introduced
With results of moderate-enlightenment produced.
The Graduates opposed these bashings and all
And reckoned him 'the worthies of all.'
The heart he had of a young man
Of his great genius were many a fan.
Few loves he made in his early youth
Of his escapades he always spoke the truth.
One of his lover lives in another country
And he certainly now loves his own country.
Loved him the army people so well
That in the Army-House he'd always dwell.
Protected he so well the common lot,
But bombs and street crimes was their own lot.
A fast friend was he of our Uncle Sam
Quit he would after building Kalabagh dam.
Never he lost conscience in a situation dire
Had also written "In the Line of Fire."
Did he mush to eradicate extremism
And taught us so well on fascism.
A teacher like him you'd rarely find
What I said of him, he'd never mind.


Poet's Vindication of His Realism
Though graduates besides these were several other
To tell you of each one I wouldn't bother.
'Cause these few were in front most of all
And very active in and outside Assembly Hall.
Now I have told you in a clause
Their state, condition and also the cause
And why that assembled had this company
As our esteemed Graduate Assembly.
I pray you of your courtesy
That you do not regard it my villainy
That I told you of them plainly
And of how they behaved actually.
Now you know where in assembly they would stand
My wit is short, you may well understand.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great poem Talal Bhai. You've gotten your wit all whetted up! I love this line the most:

"No mailing address had he in his own Country."

This, to me sums it all up.

Anonymous said...

As an average teacher of English, I suggest you to correct the spellings of RAILWAYS, which you have typed as ‘Raiways’. Except this cynicism and show of jealousy, I enjoyed it like anything. I think that a person needs to read and understand Chaucer’s Prologue to the Canterbury Tales and at the same time know the inside of the portrayed Pakistani Political high-ups if s/he really wants to get inside the matter.

Anonymous said...

Spellings are correct buddy, see again plz. Rather I see some mistakes in the last line of your comment. Hehe..