shot glass
title
"... brevity is the soul of wit ..."
- William Shakespeare

Bio


Rehan Qayoom is a poet, editor and translator educated at Birkbeck College, University of London. He has featured in numerous literary publications and performed his work at international venues. He is the author of Prose 1997 - 2008, (2009) and 2 books of poetry After Parveen Shakir, (2011) and About Time, (2012).


Rehan Qayoom


 

In a Way We Are All Dr Faustus

adapted after the Urdu by Parveen Shakir

In a way
We are all Dr Faustus
Some barter their souls
For pleasure's sake
And some under blackmail of duress
Some pawn their eyes
To begin trading in dreams
Others are led to mortgage their entire mind-set
It has only to be seen
What currency is in circulation
So according to an estimate of the Wall Street of life
Among those who can afford to buy, sell or invest
Self Respect is a popular commodity!