"Television" An excellent eye opening poem by Roald Dahl

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set --
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotized by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink --
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What the darling ones used to do?
'How they kept themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks-
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.

Ya Rabb

Ya Rabb…..
By Asma bint Shameem

I hope for your Mercy, Ya Rabb, while the whole world is asleep
I knock on Your door with heart so humble, my eyes thus weep

Hands raised high…..head bowed so low….. before You I kneel
I open my heart to you, I bewail my sorrows…..all what I feel

O, Knower of my troubles, Knower of my woes and fears
In great distress and grief I cry…..I let flow my tears

O Dispeller of my anguish, O Reliever of my pain
You are the One I turn to….. to You only, I complain

With emotions so raging, and soul so aching, my heart cries
I am hoping, Ya Rabbi, my prayers will pierce the highest skies

Its indeed Your Infinite Bounty, Your Mercy that sustains all
And indeed Your Forgiveness that restores those who fall

Only to You I stretch forth my hands, begging you… I plea
If you won’t turn to me, where else can this wretched soul flee

You alone can allay my pain, only You can relieve my distress
You are ar-Rahmaan, ar-Raheem, take me out of this mess

Send Mercy on me…. Suffering and agony is hard to bear
Forgive me my sins and all the disobedience that I did dare

Rescue me from this, Ya Rabbi, You are the Redeemer
Save me from such tribulations…..You are my Savior

Grant me patience to bear, in these times of trials and tribulance
Let me be thankful to You….give me persistence and endurance

For I know, the Prophet said, “In times of trouble, if I bear patiently
……You will forgive me my mistakes and reward me certainly”

So guide me always…..keep me strong and steadfast on this Deen
Don’t let me go astray, even in most difficult times one’s ever seen

You are my Wakeel…..to You I turn over all my affairs
All my hopes and wishes, Ya Maula….I entrust to Your Care

You are my refuge, You are my comfort… You are the Only One
Indeed to you I belong and to You, surely, is my return


Wassalam,
Al Huda Institute, Canada