If the night requires no excuse to put the stars to sleep, neither do the Lovers for praising their Beloved— writes Mujeeb Jaihoon

If the rose is the child
Of the garden,
Why need an excuse
To call its own?

If the moon grew in the cradle
of the night,
Why need an excuse
To put it to sleep?

If none more beautiful
Than Leila,
Why need an excuse
For Majnun to gaze?

If my pen and its ink
Are you-
Why need an excuse
To write about you?

March 26 2013. Edit July 2024