My dearest
My beloved
Rose of flowers
Peacock of birds
Diamond of gemstones
Sirius of stars
You are all of those and I am the lover.

I am the kite
and you are the string
You are my star
and you are the blink
I am the sky
and you are the ring
I am the flight
and you are the wings
I am the lover
and you are the beloved

—JIBRIL ABDULMALIK ©2019

Do not go far to listen to the praises of my heart
Listen to your heart
— the praises come from there —
I am there.

Do not go far by your actions to call me to yourself
Come closer
I am not far from you
By your voice, I shall hear.

—JIBRIL ABDULMALIK ©2019

Do not try to be beautiful
You are beauty itself
Why try to be what you already are?

Set not your body on fire.
It will surely burn to ash
Ignite your soul.
Light up your path,
That others may follow
For you are not this body,
but that soul.

Embellish your heart and soul
Love not your body with all your soul,
but your soul with all your body
For you are not this body,
but that soul.

Cast not your glance on the beauty of the stars
Seek your soul.
It is your true self.
It is the beauty of the galaxy

Look beyond the pale,
Look not for gold,
but yourself.
You are most valuable to your possessor.
For you are not this body, but that soul.

— JIBRIL ABDULMALIK ©2019

[JIBRIL ABDULMALIK]
I cannot find any masterpiece
How then do I plan?
There are no shoulders on which to stand
Shoulders of any giant of great stance
How then do I view the remaining journey?
How do I understand?
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

[EDINO ABIGAEL]
You might feel like a pirate
whose masterpiece Is lost between waves and tides,
But, look In the mirror
Who you see Is the master's piece.
This Is the greatest conviction.
Those great giants you look up to,
Are now like Goliath,
Lying helpless down your feet,
Let this be the hope you seek.

[JIBRIL ABDULMALIK]
The path I seek does not seek me in return
The one I love never loved me — I was just taken for fun.
Should I think less of my so called friends or should I say much of them?
They only show up whenever I find a gem
Shouldn't I say less of my very own?
Whom I danced to his great plans — plans for me alone
Great plans for the tomorrow that is never known
Only to find he never had a plan, not even of his own
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

[EDINO ABIGAEL]
You are at a crossroad,
All path seems right.
But, right In you,
Is a Great compass
Leading away from doom.
Trace your steps one, two,
Deep within the bed of your shattered heart,
Sleeps the hope you seek!

JIBRIL ABDULMALIK AND EDINO ABIGAEL ©2019

Cast not your glance on the beauty of the stars
Look here at this eyes, they are the beauty of the galaxy.

Kiss not these lips and render them speechless,
for they mayn't know to sing the songs of your heart and soul

Whisper not in this ears, but to this heart,
For this ears mayn't bear the weight of your words

Look beyond the pale,
Look not for gold, but this soul
For it sings praises of you

Love not this body nor this heart, it is but dust
Love this soul with all your soul
It is not me nor you, it is us.

—JIBRIL ABDULMALIK ©2019

I cannot find any masterpiece
How then do I plan?
There are no shoulders on which to stand
Shoulders of any giant of great stance
How then do I view the remaining journey?
How do I understand?
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

The one I love does not love me in return
All along, I was waiting for a train at the bus stop
I was played — taken for fun
Can the heart still beat after it has been torn?
When will I stop hearing the 'pii pii pii' or 'puun puun puun' ?
When will I ever hear the train horn?
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

I walked with my greatest companion — my thought
Much was I shown
Even beyond what I seek, in gracious colours
Only to reach the journey end to be betrayed by my own thoughts;
What I seek, never sought me
Tell me, of what difference am I from a soldier who trained forever, only to meet his end in just a day, at the battle front?
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

Should I think less of my so called friends
or should I say much of them?
They only show up whenever I find a gem
They deliver panegyric when things are right
And they come by day to leave at night

Shouldn't I sink in thoughts of my home sweet home?
Shouldn't I say less of my very own?
Whom I danced to his great plans — plans for me alone
Great plans for the tomorrow that is never known
Only to find he never had a plan, not even of his own
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

Who should I run to?
Where do I go from here?
Please teach me how to stop thinking
So I may conquer my fear
For I've sought far and near
I've written to many eyes and sang to many ears
I've cried out my heart, but no one seems to care
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

Which leader would you refer me to?
Is it the one who preaches only what the people want to hear
Or the one who looks at evil and pretend not to see due to fear?
Is it the one who says what the heart cannot bear
Or the one who preaches, but does not want to be dared?
Tell me, is there still hope for me?

I am here
all alone
You may not understand me
that, I know
You are not under this tree
How then will you know the nature of its shade?

—JIBRIL ABDULMALIK