Manash Bhattacharjee" />
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Literature, PoetryNovember 30, 2014

Razia

Artwork by Aisha Rajar. Courtesy: ArtChowk The Gallery

Artwork by Aisha Rajar. Courtesy: ArtChowk The Gallery

        (1205 – 1240)

Your aura lies intact
Unlike your fate

Your life was a nightmare
Between two lovers
Your death is a rumour
Of two graves

No man
Endured your father’s wish
They felt accursed having a sultan
With breasts
They dreamt of being the sword
In your bed

Your love for a slave
Poured ash over the ignoble
Jealousy of nobles

Your amulet could not save your life
From two men
You inspired against yourself

Your friend pursued your sex
And your brother
Drove you towards death

For them your sex
And your death was the same thing.

~ Manash Bhattacharjee

 

Manash Bhattacharjee is a poet and writer based in New Delhi. His poems have appeared in ‘First Proof: The Penguin Book of New Writing from India’ (Volume 5), The New Welsh Review, The Fortnightly Review, and a number of other international magazines. His first collection of poetry, ‘Ghalib’s Tomb and Other Poems’ (2013), was published by The London Magazine.

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One last love letter...

April 24, 2021

It has taken us some time and patience to come to this decision. TMS would not have seen the success that it did without our readers and the tireless team that ran the magazine for the better part of eight years.

But… all good things must come to an end, especially when we look at the ever-expanding art and literary landscape in Pakistan, the country of the magazine’s birth.

We are amazed and proud of what the next generation of creators are working with, the themes they are featuring, and their inclusivity in the diversity of voices they are publishing. When TMS began, this was the world we envisioned…

Though the magazine has closed and our submissions shuttered, this website will remain open for the foreseeable future as an archive of the great work we published and the astounding collection of diverse voices we were privileged to feature.

If, however, someone is interested in picking up the baton, please email Maryam Piracha, the editor, at maryamp@themissingslate.com.

Farewell, fam! It’s been quite a ride.

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