Just because you’re feeling sick of it,
does not mean that I am sick of it.

Are we not quite good at faking?
We ought to record a flick of it.

Make sure you show it to Mom;
you know that she’ll get a kick of it.

…And Babel’s tower collapses;
It’s lucky we still have a brick of it.

The present is almost invisible
whilst one is in stood in the thick of it.

F*, how are you still so pretty?
I don’t understand the trick of it.

And hours of effort are lost now;
all that it took was one click of it.

Doorways are metaphorical, she said,
as she made short work with a pick of it.

Just because I am now sick of it
does not mean you must be sick of it.

Once more, I must write about you,
as all of my thoughts are about you.

You said we’d be late, and we were!
I never had reason to doubt you.

These false-framed friends of the system
theatric, purport to flout you.

Fingers in everyone’s purses
ensure none shall actually rout you.

Without trying, I collect mythos.
None have the power to doubt you.

…(Your) wrist was chill to my touch,
as the void won battles throughout you.

Annie, why bother with others
knowing none shall write about you?

We are the People of the Heart, the kings,
Without the crown, the throne and golden rings.

The morning-bird may call its mate at dawn,
I hear something different when it sings.

The world mourned the summer, but I have felt
The rest of falls, the madness of springs.

Tomorrow is still far away from us,
Today's today, let us see what it brings.

From north to west, from east to west each time,
O world, you pulled me with your locks as strings.

Imprisoned in the garden of illusions,
I picked the flower-leaves and made my wings.

I am Mahi, the poet who saw meanings,
Since times immemorial, in many things.

My beloved April moon,
when the poets write ghazal
they are writing about you

The goddess of love,
Aphrodite,
cried when I told her
that you may leave

Her tears shedding
for you to stay,
like drops of Venus

Come back
For the goddess
of love’s sake,
come back

I know a scared God
(I've seen a scared God)
A living-way-up-there God

Slumped outside our orbit of violence
We're wishing you just cared God

Upside while I'm downtown screaming:
YOU KNOW THIS ISN'T FAIR GOD

You're hiding up in nitrous heavens
A help-only-if-you-dare God

As our sins slip into the water supply
You've given us nothing to bathe in God

These California fires; these 2 a.m. stabbings
All this suffering isn't rare God

With nothing else to live up to
I guess we have to wear god.

My body aches - beating my brain, I yearn for rest.
The work needs done. I cannot sleep until I rest.

That sleep - that nodding off that interrupts the song
while silence plays; a long fermata on a rest.

Awake and you’ll be deaf to what you’ve missed,
but open your ears and you’ll appreciate the rest.

I wish we could be present while we slept,
so we never had to miss a single click of rest,

until the very end. When the players play their loudest
even if they’re resting, a long eternal rest.

For the music doesn’t start until you’ve given
pause— to the contents of your mind. Let yourself rest,

and listen to the universe and its crashing chords;
echoing in that quietness, speaking through that rest.

And as I ache, I, Tyler, look towards playing that final
performance – one that’s sure to give me rest.

all it took was a single look- he fell for her.
angel eyes in clear blue skies, he only thought of her.

the sun created her dancing raven locks,
capturing life- tempting him to reach towards her.

the moon would rise, singing solitary melodies,
and in his inner strife, he only wished for her.

the stars could taint the lonely night
but their brilliance couldn't stain his love for her.

chrysanthemums reflected in her sancy diamond lies,
and for her sustenance, he picked bouquets for her.

her beauty shone like carved, clear stone,
and his heart was enveloped in a cold embrace from her.

and as he fell, a willing victim to the abyss,
he smiled, as if all his breath was hers.

[ Translation of Ghazal
“Dil Mein Ek Lehar Si Uthi Hai Abhi”
Poet: Nasir Kazmi ]

Heart flutters –
with a new beat
A fresh breeze is on the move

An uproar in cavern-of-heart,
down goes
     some wall

Fragile spirits
and now, a new scar

Foggy ghosts of forgotten isles
still –
echo your voice

Down the dark alleys
searching …
for you

دل میں بس تجھ کو بسا رکھا ہے
لب پے بس تجھ کو سجا رکھا ہے
دیکھ  آ دل کے میکدے میں کبھی
درد ہی درد چھپا رکھا ہے
مجھ کو ویرانیاں ہی بھاتی ہیں
دشت میں ڈیرہ لگا رکھا ہے
بے ثباتی سے واسطہ ہے مرا
ریت کا گھر بھی بنا رکھا ہے
عشق کے رستہ پر خار پے بھی
بوجھ تیرا ہی اٹھا رکھا ہے
آج خود اپنے لہو سے ارسل
بزم میں دیپ جلا رکھا ہے

Ghazal
Dil main bas tujh ko basa Rakha ha
Lab pe bas tujh ko saja Rakha ha
Dekh aa Dil Ke maikaday main Kabhi
Dard hi dard chupa Rakha ha
Mujh ko veeraniyan hi bhaati Hain
Dasht main dera Laga Rakha ha
Bay sabati se waasta ha Mera
Rait ka Ghar BHI bana Rakha ha
Ishq ke Rasta e pur khaar pe BHI
Bojh tera hi utha rakha ha
Aaj khud apnay lahoo se ARSAL
Bazm main deep jala Rakha ha