Causatum - Lalrinmawii Khiangte

I am in my Gethsemane

I sweat out blood
The pain of Joseph's forgiveness.

Dying I live
losing I gain
such profound death and life
loss and gain.
I have not lived in vain
to experience this
resurrection from the pit to glory
the peace after the tempest
the joy after the pain
the light after darkness.


Lalrinmawii (Mamawii) Khiangte has been writing poetry in English all her life, and works at Govt. Aizawl College.

Picture: Dawn over Champhai, photographed by Lalrinmawii (Teteii) Fanai.

Silence - Somte Ralte

Time slips away ever so slow

In the vastness of this vacuum

--- All is still.

I lie awake

Too tired to sleep:

No more anticipating

For things I thought I knew

Or things I had wanted.

The whole world has ceased

Yet I am still here -

Engulfed

By the sound of deafening silence:

A trickle or a whisper

Could only collapse the heart.

This eerie comfort

Is mine now

And I have got

Nothing left to lose.

Lalmalsawmi Ralte graduated with English honours under Gauhati University in 2007 and completed her Masters in English from Mizoram University in 2009. She presently teaches at a mission school for tea-tribes at Khelmati, Assam.

Photograph: Zualteii Poonte