Given the inevitability of death, Mujeeb Jaihoon contemplates the irony of lovers squabbling with one another in their short life span.
One night in a dream
My soul began to roam
It passed by a lover,
About to die;
In his beloved’s lap,
Did he lie.
It was their last moment:
Death was imminent.
Much did they have,
Still to share
Alas! But the lover fell
To death’s snare
It was the point of no return
No medicine was left to churn
The journey was well set
Time would lend no more debt
Tears flowed down her cheek
She numbed unable to shriek
As I approached them near
Their talk I began to hear:
“Fear not,
My love.
Shall I tell you a thing?
For your pain to shun:
Recite for me,
The Greetings of peace:
I repeat on the Beloved,
Named after ‘Praise’
I have heard,
In return, will come His rahm
When a believer sends
Greeting of Sallim
Therefore, let His blessings
Begin to descend
That will be suffice
From Azraeel’s to defend
I wish, hey Lord,
How sweet a wish-
As is water dear,
To the little fish:
My soul parts in joy,
While greeting the Beloved.
So that when I rise,
To approach him I have an excuse.
Why then are you sad,
Hey light of my soul?
If love be for His sake,
Even death is a test small.
Hey comrade.
Whisper for me once again,
Waste not your chance,
For my love gain.
You can shed,
Your human tears later too;
Love has earthly moments;
But a few.
I wonder how do lovers,
Find time to fight?
Do they forget
The moment of soul’s flight?
The thought of death,
The word of death,
The act of death…”
Just then I woke,
From the dream;
Shivering with fear,
About to scream.
Into the air I raised,
My hands in prayer;
And begged Him,
For a similar desire.
March 28 2004. Edit Sep 2024
