“The Message” and “Life is a Long Road” two poems by M Yasin Janjua

The Message

I stopped by the Christians

They said, Peace on You

I stopped by the Jews

They said, Shalom

I stopped by the Muslims

They said, Salam 

I stopped by the Strangers

They were speaking a language

I couldn’t understand . . .

But they smiled and waved

My mind processed the image

And sent it to the heart

I listened to my heart

My heart said, So many languages,

But the message is one

Take the message and

Spread it through thy world:

“Peace on you”

Life is a long Road

Life is a long road, and

We are stopped at the red light

Looking through the windshield

The night is pouring down,

Inside the driving cabin

the dampness in the air

Is surrounding us

And drenching my soul

Falling raindrops

Are splitting into tiny splashes

Ready to be swept by the droopy wiper blades

They are all bent to erase memories of us

While we are stopped at the red light

In the downtown of my soul

Looking at dull brick houses

Closed smoked grey doors

And broken windows ...

I am searching for answers

While stopped at the red light

Staring at the long road,

Changing colors on distant traffic lights

Sending incandescent reflections

Creating broken rainbows

On gleaming asphalt road

Brimming with dancing raindrops

While we are stopped at the red light

Looking through the windshield

I am waiting for the signal to change

Thinking, if all next would be green

We will cruise through this life

All the way, on this long road

M. Yasin Janjua is an economist and entrepreneur by profession. Prior to becoming his own boss (entrepreneur) he worked as senior executive in international development. As an entrepreneur, he has been a driving force behind three start-ups. He is passionate about writing and has been published in Urdu language and is now committing his new found love to write in English for wider audience. Yasin has authored several technical publications on youth skills development, poverty, and Millennium Development Goals in Pakistan. He has been a public speaker on poverty, youth and skills development. Yasin holds an MA and PhD (ABD) in Economics from Kansas State University, U.S. and M. Phil in Economics from Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan.

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