☛ We are inviting submission in the field of literature and literary theory in the form of article, book review, poem, short story, travelogue and interview for our regular April issue (Vol. 6, No. 2). The last date for submission is 31 March, 2025.

Socially-Distanced Love





Dr. Syed Ali Hamid (Indian Poet of Eminence)
Former Professor of English
Kumaun University Campus
Almora , Uttarakhand, India

It is a return
to the days of yore,
the old movies:
no pre-marital sex
no post-marital either
but just the kiss
the ultimate bliss
behind a tree
symbolized by two flowers
touching each other
assisted by the breeze.

The only difference now,
not even a kiss
but Messenger, WhatsApp,
Instagram, Email,
where one may reveal all
from next door
or a thousand miles away
without a touch.

Yes, we’ll wear masks when we meet
sanitize each other
as foreplay,
and reach ecstasy
with care
under controlled conditions.
After all,
life goes on.