Ariadne’s Notes: We welcome Dr. Stephen Gill, winner of numerous awards and crusader for peace, who has sent a special poem for the New Year which will be read on the World Poetry Café radio show on December 23rd, 9-10 pm on CFRO, 100.5 F.M. Link will be posted on the 24th.
Featured Poet
World P0etry Empowered Poet Award winner. Stephen Gill.
Stephen Gill, Poet Laureate of Ansted University, has authored more than twenty books, including collections of poems, fiction and literary criticism. Once in a while, he writes poetry in Urdu, Hindi, and Panjabi. Some of these poems have been composed and performed by prominent singers in three albums, titled Aman (peace), Aman Ki Rah (way to peace), and Kholo Kholo (open open). His works have appeared in more than five hundred publications. Stephen Gill strongly believes in a democratically elected world government and peace through peaceful means. He works as a freelance English/Urdu interpreter and examines doctoral dissertations for universities of India to feed his passion and commitment to write for global peace. He was born in Panjab. CRITICAL STUDIES: Nine critical studies have appeared, including Discovering Stephen Gill Ed. Dr. Agarwal (AuthorsPress, India); Stephen Gill & His Works by Dr. George Hines (AuthorsPress, India); Poetic Corpus of Stephen Gill by Dr. Sudhir Arora (Sarup & Sons, India); The FlameUnmasked (research papers on his epic The Flame) edited by Dr. Sudhir Arora (Prakash Books, India)
“HAPPY X’MAS AND WISHES FOR PEACE FOR THE YEAR 2015
I wish my friends my best wishes for the New Year, although it is not easy to celebrate the emergence of 2015 in the true spirit of peace because of the obvious clash of cultures. It is a time to reflect for a meaningful dawn to save the citizens of the global village from further torture in the name of God who is the embodiment of peace. Peace through peaceful means is the way to produce a symphony of human hearts and the way to survive and prosper in the complex world of today.” Dr. Stephen Gill.
ON THE NEW YEAR
What then
if it is a New Year
This day is the same
as any other day of last week
even last year.
The wilful ghosts of sorrow
have not dissolved
nor have the fogs of ignorance
which float over the cold tombs.
Rather
they have grown in strength
in the gloom of violence.
If nights were replaced by days
just by thinking,
the corners of darkness
would have been lit by now.
Eaters of stale crumbs
in the mornings
should have been welcomed
by the appetizing smells
of fresh and warm foods.
The hours of suffering
would have been reduced,
joys lasted longer
and lives changed.
When this sun does not surge
it does not matter
what year or date it is.
Just by the murmurs of the clock
history does not alter,
life will not wear
another mantle
only calendars become new.
Some cards are traded
feasts are arranged.
This is not a change.
Stephen Gill –Canada (C)
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