One poem by Hem Raj Bastola

Beside the kiln

To catch
The hurricane
In a saddle
Of the folded mountains
Sleeping horizon
Unseen valley
Hide.

De-rusted
Thoughts of
Steel mind baked
In the kiln of bricks
Toasted hard served
A Bread, too vague
Difficult to digest
The coal.

A baker
Exploring dark
His de-mattered future
Struggling so hard
Whose futile job
To get the food
To live.

Beside
The kiln a poet
Unidentified
Along with assaulted
Sulphuric nostrils
Breathing to cook
His words.

HEM RAJ BASTOLA is currently working as a freelance local tour guide in and around Pokhara Valley, Nepal. He has worked as a Guest Service Agent at the Hotel Pokhara Grande, as a cave guide, inside the cave area for all tourists as well as office assistance in Guptshor Mahadev Cave, as a substitute representative for Sita Travels, as a freelance trekking guide for tourists to the surrounding Annapurna range and as a book salesman in Annapurna Stationary Center.

Hem also enjoys writing poetry, listening to music and collecting stamps.