Libre Magazine

Of Nine Seconds and a Life

July 6, 2008 | Published in Columns, On Second Thought, Short Stories

Victory was not made for him; he felt like a born loser. It was competition no 143 that he had lost. He couldn’t even make it to top ten. Seven years of work all seemed blurry and out of focus. His thinking process slowed down as he stood there on the sidewalk; holding a piece [...]

The Long Winters: Part 1

Written by Amir Saleem

April 12, 2008 | Published in Columns, On Second Thought

Winters were pure and long in those days; no wonder they still stick to my memory very warmly. It was the beginning of 1986; there wasn’t much of a hustle bustle even though we were moving to a newer and bigger house. Maybe, because we were to the house (in fact a servant quarter) where [...]

Another Beginning

Written by Amir Saleem

March 29, 2008 | Published in On Second Thought

I wrote this on one of my birthdays. Dedicated to the memory of my late younger brother, Asim Saleem. A thick silky fog swept through the street that had only one lamp-post to leave a blemish of a light on its hard trodden surface. Beside the lamp-post, rested a lazy bench, having lost one of its [...]

Golden Memories

Written by Amir Saleem

March 24, 2008 | Published in Columns, On Second Thought

Sometimes I would run into a humble argument with my mother and sisters about the importance of jewelry for a woman. I just, somehow, couldn’t fathom why would gold be so dearly loved? They would often give me a million reasons and none would make me agree with them. But then one day I found [...]

Just One

Written by Amir Saleem

March 14, 2008 | Published in Columns, On Second Thought

Pain dares with deceit while peace lives in the company of fear. One mistake overlaps all your correct actions. One wrong step erases your righteous path. One bad intention stains your good deeds. One folly pulls you out of reason. One stupidity stamps you with insanity. One painful expression wipes years of gratitude off your face. One disappointment labels you a failure. One [...]