Friends and fellow writers, poets and artists! Greetings! We are thrilled to introduce to you the continuing series «FEATURES» on VALENCIARTIST which will «feature» artists, writers, poets and all those involved in the fine arts (in all languages) that whish to participate. To be «featured» all you have to do is contact us by replying to this post with your email address so that we can send you the information.
We were so overwhelmed with the success of POETS & WRITERS (Limited) SERIES that we decided to continue with «FEATURES» and we are very excited about it. Even if you have been a protagonist of POETS & WRITERS you can participate with something new that you have written or created.
(«Green Eyes»/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
Now That We Are Green 11 JUN 2024 Francisco Bravo Cabrera (Written while listening to Sonny Rollins)
Now that we’ve left behind the challenge, which is youth, to dance a minuet with shadows on the wall, we’re on a first name basis with the monsters down the hall, and often need a comforting embrace.
Some think we need a kiss to moisten the dry wrinkles that our wisdom…and our years…has sculpted on our face. But instead we turn our head, and shy away from kisses and embraces.
We’re wingless, flightless birds that calloused hands have fed. Not being able to take flight, we have walked burdening the Earth with our little sorrows. But now that we are green, we find no need to hurry, we can finally rest.
One day I took three coins and tossed them in the air, and searched the I-Ching for answers. How will the end be? Will there be days when tears cloud my eyes and grey clouds fill my skies? The answers are still floating with the coins high in the winds or in the pages of I-Ching…
Where do they hide, the days that have flown by? The past is a closet filled with sighs. But the past becomes the search in old crates of oak and iron, filled with time, forgotten in the darkest corner of a musty attic. Time hides and no one can find her, though everywhere there’s hidden time…
Time brings miracles and wonders. I am. You are. I’ve been. You’ve been. But now that we are green, the truth is seen…
Green eyes can see the shattered spirit of the passersby, hearts heavy with misery, and sins that loudly rise from our dirty streets.
Can anyone smell what I see? (asks the stranger)
“I can”, I reply, and I wonder…
All we’ve done is hide from sorrow, run from pain, and we sit, whiskey in hand imagining how much we’ve changed.
But now we’ve all green eyes. We’re returning to the skies. We can see who’s in the dark, like we have seen who’s in the light. And now that we are free from the shackles of our youth, we know we have been lied to we know that we’ve been used.
C.2024, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 11 JUN 2024, Valencia, España
(Detail from «JazzMasters» by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
The POETS & WRITERS (limited) Series on VALENCIARTIST has come to a close! It has been phenomenal to have featured 14 protagonists from our WordPress community and beyond. We hope you have enjoyed their work and getting to know them a little better and that you reach out to their sites to follow their amazing trajectory in the art/poetry/literature world.
Being that this mini-series was so successful we are planning a part 2 next autumn, if you want it. Let us know!
We close the WRITERS & POETS (Limited) SERIES with a golden broach! Our protagonist today is Sarfraz Ahmed from the Uk. He is a brilliant poet and a wonderful human being.
SARFRAZ’S BIO
Sarfraz Ahmed is an amazon bestseller writer from the UK, who achieved success globally as a poet. His recent work includes: «Pardon Me You’re Stepping A Poet«; «The Ramblings of a Romantic Poet» (2023) and «The Gift of Poetry» (2022). In May 2021 he was recognised as a World Contributor Poet by Poetry and Literature World Vision. We can find him at open mic events, where he has shared his poetry globally. In January 2024 he was named one of the poets of the year 2023, by Trending Poets Facebook site.
SARFRAZ IN HIS OWN WORDS
1) What do you feel is the emotional investment a poet/writer must make to create true art, transcendental and powerful?
I think a poet/writer must be invested in their creative process. They need to manage their expectations and understand the market that they are entering. As a poet I know my market and fully understand who is likely to buy my work.
To true art, transcendental and powerful you need to show your vulnerability, let people into your heart. Be inspired by other writers but be original. Remember your work will speak for itself. There is an audience for all forms of creative outlets.
2) What is it that makes you a poet?
Ever since I could remember poetry and writing brought me joy, whilst others would struggle, I could write a poem in minutes. For me it was like breathing. As time went on I practised journaling and found it a great release and helped me with my mental health. What makes me a poet is the capacity to absorb my surroundings, to capture my feelings and desires and put them onto paper. I embrace the tradition, I fully own the title and I am proud to walk in the footsteps of all those that have inspired me, especially US writers such as Maya Angelou, Charles Bukowski and Elliot M Rubin, as well as world renowned poets such as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī.
Poetry is a gift, something that comes naturally to me, a gift that I cherish and share with the world.
3) Should poets, writers, artists in general, proffer their political opinions?
Poets and writers often feel a duty to share an opinion and political views; this is a burden that many poets and writers past and present have carried. I feel this is a personal choice of the writer, the need to careful not to divide their readers. This should be done strategically not to lay the message across so to offend the reader but to ensure that this is powerful and everlasting.
4) Should artists be involved in political situations and discussions?
I feel this is a personal opinion and choice, but writers need to be aware of the consequences and repercussions of doing so. More often than not artists provide a voice for the voiceless, interpreted through creative expression.
+++++++++++++
THE POETIC ART OF SARFRAZ AHMED
Another Night in Milano
Immaculately dressed fashionistas
Experiment
Move this way and that
Bend to the wind
Blend right in
Become part of the scenery
On full view for all to see
Walk up and down
The boulevards and high streets
Dressed in high fashion
On the catwalks they compete
Many come to watch from near and far
To watch the parade
Of the wonderful and bizarre
Under the guise of discretion
Voyeuristic eyes begin to soften
Watch lovers walk hand in hand
Underneath the stars
Others mingle in café and bars
Every now and then
They’ll check that their accessories are intact
They’ll walk on never look back
This is where you’ll find me
Night after night
This is where I come to watch the fight
To watch young Italians walk up and down
In this part of town
No, it’s not a circus
Or a freak show
It’s just another night in Milano
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+++++++
++++++++++++++++
Till The End of Time
Let me be your shoulder
To cry upon
I’ll be there for you
When all is said and done
When the curtains come down
And the spotlight fades
I’ll be waiting for you in the wings
To give you my heart
To give you everything
I’ll be the light
That shines just for you
To bring you closer to me
To guide you in
I’ll be there for you
If you say you’ll be mine
For now
Forever
Till the end of time
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+++
What Are We?
What are we?
Two bodies intertwined
Like vines
Interwoven
Skin and bone
Caught in between
Fits of rage and rapture
Caged and captured
In our moment of ecstasy
Mounted and put on display for all to see
Left open to interpretation
The circle and square
A wheel within a wheel
An optical illusion
That’s never was quite real
Moving fast
But going nowhere
Vibrant and full of life
A beautiful thing
Two people
Who can’t live without the other one
Bound together for life
With nowhere to run
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+
I hope you have enjoyed the words and the poetry of Sarfraz Ahmed, a truly artistic soul and a phenomenal writer. With him we are so proud to close these episodes of our POETS & WRITERS (Limited) SERIES. We expect to be back next autumn.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
WE KNOW YOU WILL WANT TO FOLLOW SARFRAZ
Sarfraz Ahmed – Poet Author of: Eighty-Four Pins – Poetry Collection, My Teachers An Alien!, Two Hearts – A Journey Into Heartfelt Poetry, Stab the Pomegranate – Collective Poetry, The Gift of Poetry and The Ramblings of a Romantic Poet
(Detail from «JazzMasters» by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
The POETS & WRITERS (limited) Series on VALENCIARTIST comes to a close this Friday! It has been phenomenal to have featured 14 protagonists from our WordPress community and beyond. We hope you have enjoyed their work and getting to know them a little better and that you reach out to their sites to follow their amazing trajectory in the art/poetry/literature world.
We close the WRITERS & POETS (Limited) SERIES with a golden broach! Our protagonist today is Sarfraz Ahmed from the Uk. He is a brilliant poet and a wonderful human being.
SARFRAZ’S BIO
Sarfraz Ahmed is an amazon bestseller writer from the UK, who achieved success globally as a poet. His recent work includes: «Pardon Me You’re Stepping A Poet«; «The Ramblings of a Romantic Poet» (2023) and «The Gift of Poetry» (2022). In May 2021 he was recognised as a World Contributor Poet by Poetry and Literature World Vision. We can find him at open mic events, where he has shared his poetry globally. In January 2024 he was named one of the poets of the year 2023, by Trending Poets Facebook site.
SARFRAZ IN HIS OWN WORDS
1) What do you feel is the emotional investment a poet/writer must make to create true art, transcendental and powerful?
I think a poet/writer must be invested in their creative process. They need to manage their expectations and understand the market that they are entering. As a poet I know my market and fully understand who is likely to buy my work.
To true art, transcendental and powerful you need to show your vulnerability, let people into your heart. Be inspired by other writers but be original. Remember your work will speak for itself. There is an audience for all forms of creative outlets.
2) What is it that makes you a poet?
Ever since I could remember poetry and writing brought me joy, whilst others would struggle, I could write a poem in minutes. For me it was like breathing. As time went on I practised journaling and found it a great release and helped me with my mental health. What makes me a poet is the capacity to absorb my surroundings, to capture my feelings and desires and put them onto paper. I embrace the tradition, I fully own the title and I am proud to walk in the footsteps of all those that have inspired me, especially US writers such as Maya Angelou, Charles Bukowski and Elliot M Rubin, as well as world renowned poets such as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī.
Poetry is a gift, something that comes naturally to me, a gift that I cherish and share with the world.
3) Should poets, writers, artists in general, proffer their political opinions?
Poets and writers often feel a duty to share an opinion and political views; this is a burden that many poets and writers past and present have carried. I feel this is a personal choice of the writer, the need to careful not to divide their readers. This should be done strategically not to lay the message across so to offend the reader but to ensure that this is powerful and everlasting.
4) Should artists be involved in political situations and discussions?
I feel this is a personal opinion and choice, but writers need to be aware of the consequences and repercussions of doing so. More often than not artists provide a voice for the voiceless, interpreted through creative expression.
+++++++++++++
THE POETIC ART OF SARFRAZ AHMED
Another Night in Milano
Immaculately dressed fashionistas
Experiment
Move this way and that
Bend to the wind
Blend right in
Become part of the scenery
On full view for all to see
Walk up and down
The boulevards and high streets
Dressed in high fashion
On the catwalks they compete
Many come to watch from near and far
To watch the parade
Of the wonderful and bizarre
Under the guise of discretion
Voyeuristic eyes begin to soften
Watch lovers walk hand in hand
Underneath the stars
Others mingle in café and bars
Every now and then
They’ll check that their accessories are intact
They’ll walk on never look back
This is where you’ll find me
Night after night
This is where I come to watch the fight
To watch young Italians walk up and down
In this part of town
No, it’s not a circus
Or a freak show
It’s just another night in Milano
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+++++++
++++++++++++++++
Till The End of Time
Let me be your shoulder
To cry upon
I’ll be there for you
When all is said and done
When the curtains come down
And the spotlight fades
I’ll be waiting for you in the wings
To give you my heart
To give you everything
I’ll be the light
That shines just for you
To bring you closer to me
To guide you in
I’ll be there for you
If you say you’ll be mine
For now
Forever
Till the end of time
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+++
What Are We?
What are we?
Two bodies intertwined
Like vines
Interwoven
Skin and bone
Caught in between
Fits of rage and rapture
Caged and captured
In our moment of ecstasy
Mounted and put on display for all to see
Left open to interpretation
The circle and square
A wheel within a wheel
An optical illusion
That’s never was quite real
Moving fast
But going nowhere
Vibrant and full of life
A beautiful thing
Two people
Who can’t live without the other one
Bound together for life
With nowhere to run
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+
I hope you have enjoyed the words and the poetry of Sarfraz Ahmed, a truly artistic soul and a phenomenal writer. With him we are so proud to close these episodes of our POETS & WRITERS (Limited) SERIES. We expect to be back next autumn.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
WE KNOW YOU WILL WANT TO FOLLOW SARFRAZ
Sarfraz Ahmed – Poet Author of: Eighty-Four Pins – Poetry Collection, My Teachers An Alien!, Two Hearts – A Journey Into Heartfelt Poetry, Stab the Pomegranate – Collective Poetry, The Gift of Poetry and The Ramblings of a Romantic Poet
(Detail from «JazzMasters» by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
The POETS & WRITERS (limited) Series on VALENCIARTIST comes to a close this Friday! It has been phenomenal to have featured 14 protagonists from our WordPress community and beyond. We hope you have enjoyed their work and getting to know them a little better and that you reach out to their sites to follow their amazing trajectory in the art/poetry/literature world.
We close the WRITERS & POETS (Limited) SERIES with a golden broach! Our protagonist today is Sarfraz Ahmed from the Uk. He is a brilliant poet and a wonderful human being.
SARFRAZ’S BIO
Sarfraz Ahmed is an amazon bestseller writer from the UK, who achieved success globally as a poet. His recent work includes: «Pardon Me You’re Stepping A Poet«; «The Ramblings of a Romantic Poet» (2023) and «The Gift of Poetry» (2022). In May 2021 he was recognised as a World Contributor Poet by Poetry and Literature World Vision. We can find him at open mic events, where he has shared his poetry globally. In January 2024 he was named one of the poets of the year 2023, by Trending Poets Facebook site.
SARFRAZ IN HIS OWN WORDS
1) What do you feel is the emotional investment a poet/writer must make to create true art, transcendental and powerful?
I think a poet/writer must be invested in their creative process. They need to manage their expectations and understand the market that they are entering. As a poet I know my market and fully understand who is likely to buy my work.
To true art, transcendental and powerful you need to show your vulnerability, let people into your heart. Be inspired by other writers but be original. Remember your work will speak for itself. There is an audience for all forms of creative outlets.
2) What is it that makes you a poet?
Ever since I could remember poetry and writing brought me joy, whilst others would struggle, I could write a poem in minutes. For me it was like breathing. As time went on I practised journaling and found it a great release and helped me with my mental health. What makes me a poet is the capacity to absorb my surroundings, to capture my feelings and desires and put them onto paper. I embrace the tradition, I fully own the title and I am proud to walk in the footsteps of all those that have inspired me, especially US writers such as Maya Angelou, Charles Bukowski and Elliot M Rubin, as well as world renowned poets such as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī.
Poetry is a gift, something that comes naturally to me, a gift that I cherish and share with the world.
3) Should poets, writers, artists in general, proffer their political opinions?
Poets and writers often feel a duty to share an opinion and political views; this is a burden that many poets and writers past and present have carried. I feel this is a personal choice of the writer, the need to careful not to divide their readers. This should be done strategically not to lay the message across so to offend the reader but to ensure that this is powerful and everlasting.
4) Should artists be involved in political situations and discussions?
I feel this is a personal opinion and choice, but writers need to be aware of the consequences and repercussions of doing so. More often than not artists provide a voice for the voiceless, interpreted through creative expression.
+++++++++++++
THE POETIC ART OF SARFRAZ AHMED
Another Night in Milano
Immaculately dressed fashionistas
Experiment
Move this way and that
Bend to the wind
Blend right in
Become part of the scenery
On full view for all to see
Walk up and down
The boulevards and high streets
Dressed in high fashion
On the catwalks they compete
Many come to watch from near and far
To watch the parade
Of the wonderful and bizarre
Under the guise of discretion
Voyeuristic eyes begin to soften
Watch lovers walk hand in hand
Underneath the stars
Others mingle in café and bars
Every now and then
They’ll check that their accessories are intact
They’ll walk on never look back
This is where you’ll find me
Night after night
This is where I come to watch the fight
To watch young Italians walk up and down
In this part of town
No, it’s not a circus
Or a freak show
It’s just another night in Milano
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+++++++
++++++++++++++++
Till The End of Time
Let me be your shoulder
To cry upon
I’ll be there for you
When all is said and done
When the curtains come down
And the spotlight fades
I’ll be waiting for you in the wings
To give you my heart
To give you everything
I’ll be the light
That shines just for you
To bring you closer to me
To guide you in
I’ll be there for you
If you say you’ll be mine
For now
Forever
Till the end of time
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+++
What Are We?
What are we?
Two bodies intertwined
Like vines
Interwoven
Skin and bone
Caught in between
Fits of rage and rapture
Caged and captured
In our moment of ecstasy
Mounted and put on display for all to see
Left open to interpretation
The circle and square
A wheel within a wheel
An optical illusion
That’s never was quite real
Moving fast
But going nowhere
Vibrant and full of life
A beautiful thing
Two people
Who can’t live without the other one
Bound together for life
With nowhere to run
Sarfraz Ahmed
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved
+
I hope you have enjoyed the words and the poetry of Sarfraz Ahmed, a truly artistic soul and a phenomenal writer. With him we are so proud to close these episodes of our POETS & WRITERS (Limited) SERIES. We expect to be back next autumn.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
WE KNOW YOU WILL WANT TO FOLLOW SARFRAZ
Sarfraz Ahmed – Poet Author of: Eighty-Four Pins – Poetry Collection, My Teachers An Alien!, Two Hearts – A Journey Into Heartfelt Poetry, Stab the Pomegranate – Collective Poetry, The Gift of Poetry and The Ramblings of a Romantic Poet
(«Green Eyes»/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
Now That We Are Green 11 JUN 2024 Francisco Bravo Cabrera (Written while listening to Sonny Rollins)
Now that we’ve left behind the challenge, which is youth, to dance a minuet with shadows on the wall, we’re on a first name basis with the monsters down the hall, and often need a comforting embrace.
Some think we need a kiss to moisten the dry wrinkles that our wisdom…and our years…has sculpted on our face. But instead we turn our head, and shy away from kisses and embraces.
We’re wingless, flightless birds that calloused hands have fed. Not being able to take flight, we have walked burdening the Earth with our little sorrows. But now that we are green, we find no need to hurry, we can finally rest.
One day I took three coins and tossed them in the air, and searched the I-Ching for answers. How will the end be? Will there be days when tears cloud my eyes and grey clouds fill my skies? The answers are still floating with the coins high in the winds or in the pages of I-Ching…
Where do they hide, the days that have flown by? The past is a closet filled with sighs. But the past becomes the search in old crates of oak and iron, filled with time, forgotten in the darkest corner of a musty attic. Time hides and no one can find her, though everywhere there’s hidden time…
Time brings miracles and wonders. I am. You are. I’ve been. You’ve been. But now that we are green, the truth is seen…
Green eyes can see the shattered spirit of the passersby, hearts heavy with misery, and sins that loudly rise from our dirty streets.
Can anyone smell what I see? (asks the stranger)
“I can”, I reply, and I wonder…
All we’ve done is hide from sorrow, run from pain, and we sit, whiskey in hand imagining how much we’ve changed.
But now we’ve all green eyes. We’re returning to the skies. We can see who’s in the dark, like we have seen who’s in the light. And now that we are free from the shackles of our youth, we know we have been lied to we know that we’ve been used.
C.2024, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 11 JUN 2024, Valencia, España
