Rangzeb Hussain

Rangzeb Hussain Apr 2012

His feet* – they walked upon the waters of untarnished truth,

His knees – kneeled to no man for He was a King amongst mortal men,

His legs – always journeyed to the valley overflowing with warm wishes,

His body – was the embodiment of all that is rich and wholesome,

His arms – embraced both me, you, him and her, young, old, black or white,

His fingers – as smooth and supple as the skies before summer’s soft rains,

His neck – lifted high not in pride or anger, only tilted upwards towards the Beloved,

His lips – spoke yesterday, to me today and to you tomorrow, to all everywhere,

His nose – inhaled the scent of newly born flowers on the eve of Spring of yesteryear,

His eyes – saw the miracle of life, and sleeping death held no fear or dominion,

His hair – every strand curled to form a heavenly glowing crown upon His head,

His message – it will live and sing longer than the executioner’s silent song,

His love – is the lyric of this life, it is life everlasting and in it lives our Lord.

The message of Easter seems to have got swamped with chocolate eggs and bunnies. I thought it would be nice to return to the true essence of the message of Easter – Peace, Love, Compassion and Forgiveness. We are currently in short supply of these beautiful things in our world.

Rangzeb Hussain Mar 2012

For Karen

There is a place that is sweeter and more fragrant than dreams,
where the floating air is filled with a love deep and rich,
a place where the souls of the sweetest dance, glide and reside.

In that place there is a garden fresh with the eternal waters of life,
where the flowers waft in the breeze of the noonday light of joy,
this is the garden where Beauty and Sleep sing and slide.

Do not weep, for Karen is at play in the fields of the Miracle Maker,
those she leaves behind are richer for having known her,
may her radiant star shine and smile from this day and for evermore.

Rangzeb Hussain Mar 2012

Savour the Hours of a Day

Let my heart gently swim
in the silky warm smoothness
of a creamy chocolate coffee
on a sleepy Sunday morning,
The hours lazily evaporate in the steam.

Let my troubles and my woes sink,
Let my pains melt away this very day,
Let the fresh air sprinkle love’s dreamy spice,
Let the flavours mix in my hot coffee cup,
Let me unfurl the flag of life’s everlasting heights,

Rich, dark, and with a velvet touch,
My lips receive the frothy sweet kiss
and my tongue curls with a pleasure rare,
This is a coffee which will keep me wrapped warm
against the memory of years yet to rain and storm.

Rangzeb Hussain Mar 2012

A Cold Wind Blows upon the Eve of Mother’s Day

A day will dawn…

And we, the born, will learn to mourn,
All of us, black or white, north, south, east or west,
We have a common thread that links us all…

A mother…

We will look to the skies and our eyes will swim,
Our hearts will brim with feelings warm
And our minds will sink in memories made from material rarer than gold,

She was there when we first stepped into our first schoolroom,
She was there to warm us in the frozen heart of a pale white winter,
She was there to cool us in the volcanic lava of a scorching hot summer,

There is a chill that cuts deeper than the kiss from winter’s lips,
It will come to us all soon enough and peel away our false smiles,
The autumn branches of this life already twist and hold us in an iron grip.

Once upon a sleepy Sunday some of us ran here and there,
We fetched flowers made from paper and petals, lightly sprinkled with perfume,
Little did we know that all that was needed was always right here,

All we had to do was reach out,
Touch and hold,
Embrace and softly say…

“Love you.
Always have.
Always will.”

Those who know do so and say so with eyes and ears,
From the lips all the way down to fingertips and toes too,
They have no need for chocolates, roses or man-made greeting cards,

She was special, her life a magical miracle of the divine,
She was mother to me and mother to you
and remember too a woman is mother to all of mankind,

A wife to her husband,
A mother to her children,
And an angel of the Almighty.

A woman.
A mother.
A friend.

I miss her so much…

Rangzeb Hussain Feb 2012

Birthday Blues

“I’m unhappy and can’t cope.”
Unhappy is an orphan in a land without water, without mercy, without hope.

“I’m fat, ugly and slow”.
You’re more beautiful than the peacock who sang in Eden before the Fall.

“Who will marry me now?”
Don’t be a slave to social pressure. In time you will seed, plant and plough.

“I’m getting old and my body is changing shape.”
Wisdom, experience, memories and stories old only come with age and grace.

“I feel worthless and ashamed.”
You are more precious than a spotless butterfly escaping time’s ticking frame.

“How come everybody else looks happy?”
Their smiles may hide broken lives. Think twice before you point and get snappy.

“I have no friends who are true.”
First learn to love the enemy who lives in the heart, body and soul of you.

“My dreams and plans always fail.”
Build them wings and faithfully pray even if it takes you till Judgment Day.

“Why am I always left behind?”
Remove the fear of losing and express the slow burning desires inside your mind.

“My prayers go unanswered, I only get tears.”
Some of the greatest gifts come to you in the form of unanswered prayers.

“Life is such a bore and a drag.”
Tell that to a dying man who’s now screaming for life to come racing back.

“I don’t want your pity or advice.”*
I open my palms and offer you the dice of life without condition or price.

Rangzeb Hussain Feb 2012

Heart of God

Note:*
This poem is inspired by the words of my beloved Mother. I continue to miss her and ache to hear her voice once more. I know one day we shall be reunited in a world without pain...

Heart of God

“Remember well, my son…
For the Almighty all-knowing God
does not live in
the bricks, cement or the timber sticks of

a temple,
a mosque,
or a church,
nor a synagogue,

The abode of God is in the heart of every
man,
woman
and child upon this emerald earth,

This was one amongst the many gifts
He bestowed upon us.
Therefore,
Be soft and gentle, and remember…*

Never break the heart of another,
For when you cause hurt in a heart,
That is when there is a ripple
in the palace of paradise where resides the one true God of All.

Love yourself,
Love others,
Love the most Merciful
and love one and all.

Remember too one more thing,
Leave those you meet
with a smile playing upon their lips and lives
and smiles singing in the chambers of their hearts too…”

Rangzeb Hussain Feb 2012

Eve of Valentine

As ever, you remain in my thoughts as I work and play,
each and every day,
Time, space and distance conspires for us to separate,
Of these transient things I do often contemplate,
Deep in the ***** depths of my soul I dig with love's forlorn *****,
There I always find you, my heart's only trusted mate,
Twilight caresses me as I stand waiting by the desolate highway gate,
The night wind chills, time slips, yet on my soul is writ an eternal date,
On the coming of the morrow mayhap we shall once again meet
and eat from love's divine plate.

Thou art a fiery flamed starry-eyed siren
who dost sing the plaintive aria of Autumn,
To thee do I pledge my heart's love and desire
on this, the eternal Eve of Valentine's dreaming day.

*Love you princess...