Tag Archives: poem

Dec 15 2018

Like a Pendulum

Oval Ornaments

There is so much that needs to be said,

But no words able to say it.

There is so much being felt,

But more numbness with being dealt.

Like a pendulum, we swing.

There is so much passion for life

Even with feelings of death on the inside

There is so much knowledge in minds

And yet intolerable ignorance still lies.

Like a pendulum, we swing.

There is so much peace of mind in souls

But still restless anxiety in egos

Overwhelmed just to think of the incredible beauty in the human spirit

But yet such ugliness it can produce with evil twists!

Always swinging from extremes,

From contentment to resentment,

From gratefulness to bitterness,

From leniency to severity…

How much more ways can we say

That our moods from side to side sway?

Like a pendulum, we swing.

Like a pendulum, I swing.

.

Allah the Knower of hearts Knows Best.

–A.S.

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Jul 13 2018

Deserving Love

Abandoned Window Art

So much weighs her down.

  Her morale slipping.

    Her positive energy draining.

        Many a burden weigh her down.

Which may explain why

At this moment right now,

She isn’t thinking

She deserves love.

Love is an ambiguous word

With many a differently interpreted world

But here’s the “love” she decides

She doesn’t, and won’t ever, deserve…

Love

Of a flimsy but popular kind

The kind that takes your imagination everywhere

But ends up really going nowhere

The kind with metal strings and insecure conditions

That force her to one-sidedly make endless compromises

Love

Of a kind that could make her

Hate herself.

No, she does not deserve that kind of less-than-enough love.

She deserves the genuine kind: more than enough.

Love

Of rare but gold-dripping quality

The kind that is boundless in mercy

The kind with many a flaw that is

Forever being addressed and being fixed

The kind that is solid and does not melt at the slightest heat

Love

Of a kind that the more she loves another,

Increases her own self-love.

Genuine soul-quenching love is rare.

  She knows it could be right around the corner.

    Or right around the decade.

        Or perhaps, right around another lifetime.

                She knows there is a possibility she may never find it.

        But that’s okay.

    She knows the kind of love she deserves.

  And she could give it to herself.

Finding a sincere lover would be more than enough.

Her present self-love is already enough.

But to settle for less than enough?

Never.

~
Color and White

“people hate it when you know your worth. you draw the line, you set the precedence, you stand your ground, and they flip the coin on you and make it seem like you’re the one with a problem. “you’re too demanding, you’re too selective, you’re too judgmental, you’re too unrealistic”. no, i’m neither of those things. i just love myself. i love myself enough to know what i need, what will improve me, what will grow me, what i deserve. i’m loving myself, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.” (Billy Chapata, Sour Honey & Soul Food)

And God knows Best.

-A.S.

Apr 28 2018

Battleground

I was cleaning out some books and stumbled upon some short poems I wrote in 2015. Here is one of them! Scattered

Love will find you,

even if you’ve given up

on it.

 

It is, slowly,

starting to

creep on me.

 

I will hold my ground.

 

It shall not be

a battleground

of shattered hearts.

 

–A.S.

2015

Apr 28 2018

Weary

I was cleaning out some books and stumbled upon some short poems I wrote in 2015. Here is one of them!Sacred

I am weary

Of being told not to be weary

Yet when I am at ease

I’m told to put my relaxation on freeze…

For there is much that calls my attention

So I am aware and go everywhere

Then I am told, as a friendly recommendation

To ease up a bit and take a vacation.

So I pack up for it only to be told

There are pressing matters here – put your plans on hold!

You can imagine how weary I get

When told not to be such

For when I take it light-heartedly,

It still seems to be too much!

~

–A.S.

2015

 

Apr 28 2018

Oh, Sweet Rain

I was cleaning out some books and stumbled upon some short poems I wrote in 2015. Here is one of them!

Near Land

Oh, sweet rain

Do what rain does…

Drown

                                  my needless worries away

Drench

my heart with gratitude throughout the day

Purify

                                                           my thoughts that from importance stray

Shower

upon me realisations of wise insights implanted

Let every droplet of water

                                  alert me to a blessing I have taken for granted

Oh sweet rain, in all that you do

Rain upon me what the merciful rain can do.

-A.S.

August 26, 2015

Apr 25 2018

Courageous Decisions

Enjoying the View

Oh, to come to a decision
That was a weight on the chest…
Though there were very opposite options,
Each seemed both better and best…
Simply unable to focus on anything,
All thoughts between this dilemma pressed!

Both roads involving risks
But which risks are most worthy to take?
Shall I think mostly with my head and logic trust,
Or my heart to avoid facing a heartache?

After a painstakingly long time of thinking
Of how to see a clear-sky view behind these boulders
I finally came to a firm choice –
And what a mountain load off my shoulders!

I finally made a decision, and
It doesn’t matter if it’s the right one or wrong.
Ultimately I thought it out, I felt it strong
And now my spirit is dancing to its song.

Grand decisions require courage to accept risks,
But courage does not come easy, nor does sacrifice
Yet some mysteries cannot be revealed
Unless you’re willing to pay uncertainty as the price.

When you come to a decision,
Breathing becomes easier and lighter.
Spring’s fragrance of hope is more vivid.
Colours are mightier and brighter.

Oh, to come to a decision
That was a weight on the chest…
When you make a firm choice,
After thinking for so long,
You will only find out later if it truly was the best choice or not.
But at least you were being courageous all along.

A.S.
April 23/18

Dec 2 2017

Are There Really Any Words?

Wings

Words are a blessing,
That we use to express everything
But are words really enough?
~
Is there really a word to describe…
 ~
The longing that sweet memories cannot satisfy?
The heart-flying feeling under the umbrella of a blue sky?
The breaking sweet pain that holds the hand of healing?
The steady chaotic rhythm of events unfurling and swirling?
The melody of rising and slippery sliding hopes?
The recognition of metaphysical ropes and incredible power to cope?
The music of even anxiety, suspense, and naive expectation?
The new life breathed into one held hostage in a moment of inspiration?
The way one’s heart swells at the sounds of truth and recognition?
~
Oh, what can one really come to say
When there doesn’t seem to be a right way…
~
To describe —
longings, heart-flying feelings,
musics of states, inspiration and heart-swellings…
breaking sweet pain, chaotic steady rhythms, hope,
rising and falling melodies, and metaphysical ropes…
~
Are there really any words?
~
Romantic Red

 

And God knows Best.
–A.S. (Dec.2, 2017)
Nov 21 2017

Wordless Poetry

A Beautiful City

When you think of poetry, your mind drifts to paper

Paper with words artistically linked together by a writer…

But what if I were to declare that poetry can be wordless, too?

《》

Poetry is the wind’s sweet caresses on your cheeks through an open window

Poetry is allowing your inner positive energy to surge upwards and make you glow

《》

Poetry is the majestic standing of a white mosque’s pillars

Poetry is entering a new space and feeling like it’s somehow all familiar

《》

Poetry is the resilience-themed messages sprayed about with graffiti paint

Poetry is reading a soul-fulfilling book in a cozy coffeehouse so quaint

《》

Poetry is the quiet playing of Coldplay’s best songs against the backdrop of Ramallah’s streets

Poetry is you turning an empty canvas and acrylic paint into your own secret retreat

《》

Poetry is the plentiful “astaghfirullah” signs on orderly lined up palm trees

Poetry is the cheerful morning sounds of roosters and darling birdies

《》

Poetry is the waterfall-like effect of vines against rocky walls

Poetry is the sound waves of overlapping athan, or prayer calls…

《》

When you used to think of poetry, your mind once drifted to paper

Paper with words artistically linked together by a writer…

But now you know, based on the journeys you flew

That poetry can also be wordless, too.

Pretty Pink
God always knows Best.

Nov.19, 2017, on the way to Hebron from Ramallah

– A.S.

Nov 15 2017

Have You Ever Found Soul, Heart & Mind Scattered?

Under the Lemon Tree

Have you ever found your soul’s song scattered about?

There you are

Seeking…

Searching…

Finding it…

Between bulky boulders and rocks

In quaint dessert cafés that barely sleep, no matter the clock

Among thorny plants and at the sight of a cactus

Under thick soft blankets that melt your coldness into bliss

During a simple olive-picking activity

Or when standing beneath the shade of a lemon tree —

Have you ever found your soul’s song scattered about?

Have you ever found your heart beats scattered about?

There you are

Seeking…

Searching…

Finding it…

In a yellow taxi cab playing classical Fayrouz

During a road trip car playing Oumayma Khalil tunes

In a stab of nostalgia, hearing Rihanna in a Hebron shopping mall

At the sight of a man proudly galloping in traffic, on a horse so tall

Against the backdrop of scents, spices and music in the open marketplace

With the rhythm of footsteps walking distances in the lit-up night space —

Have you ever found your heart’s beats scattered about?

Have you ever found your mind’s thoughts scattered about?

There you are

Seeking…

Searching…

Finding it…

In the eyes of kind, compassionate, down-to-earth people

As you acknowledge this land was walked on by prophets without equal

In the bubbling words of an enlightened, engaging conversation

Upon entering any shop that is casually playing Quranic recitation

In the sanctity of being in the Ibrahimi Mosque, or Cave of Patriarchs

In the old stone buildings, colourful fall vines, and structural archs — 

Have you ever found your mind’s thoughts scattered about?

Have you ever found your soul’s song, heart and mind

All

Debating, wondering, arguing,

persuading, agreeing, disagreeing,

musing, guessing, being certain,

being uncertain, pondering, reflecting —-

On what home means?

                          On where home is?

                                                    Who home is?

                                                                           Why home is?

Alas.

Have you ever found your soul’s song, heart and mind scattered about?

Pinecones Galore

And Allah knows Best.

-A.S.

-Written November 11, 2017

 

Nov 29 2016

Standing the Test of Time

Old Original Masjid Al-Aqsa - Ancient Pillars

I’ve travelled across certain parts

Of the East and West

And witnessed that which

Boldly stands and passes time’s test.

Whether I saw the confident

Waterfalls of Niagara Falls

Or the humbling mountains

In Palestine, proud and tall

Or the talented clouds that softly dance

Across the skies

And beautifully play with the sun,

Lingering behind them in disguise…

Immediately,

What comes to mind

Is how these creations

Stood, and passed, the test of time.

Whether I saw the ancient powerful

Pillars of the Masjid al-Aqsa

Or the Aya-Sofya and Blue Mosque

In Turkey, full of awe

Or the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem…

I notice one thing all these

Man-made structures have in common…

They stood their ground

Through rain and sunshine

I can only marvel at how

They passed the test of time.

Beyond Beauty

The architects of sacred buildings

Thought not of modernly dull designs

They contemplated a timeless beauty

That revealed their reverence for the Divine.

And beauty…

When it is pure beauty sublime…

Stands… demands…

And passes the test of time.

Rocky mountains and vast oceans

Cheerful birds and ringed wise trees

Fruits of all colours and degrees of flavors

Loyal horses and honeybees…

They exist to glorify their Creator

By doing what they were always meant to do

What it means to finally catch the truth

Is to learn how to be true, to you.

His creation alone puts

In our chests

Instant feelings of humility, sincerity

And tranquil rest.

And sincerity…

When it is true sincerity… shines.

And it can stand

And pass, the test of time.

As for myself, I wonder

Will I pass the test of time?

Will who I am assemble to become a lasting poem

Or am I to be as insignificant as a silly rhyme?

Will my actions

And my words

Both the spoken

And unheard…

Will my thoughts

And my beliefs

Moments of joy,

Moments of grief…

Through and with them,

Will it end in cause of praise or condemn?

Will my minuscule deeds of goodness

Live on even when I am lifeless?

All these miracles and signs around us

Showing us what it means to pass

The test of a lifetime

If only I can always be aware

That I have yet to pass

Life’s test of mine.

Speeding Along

 

And Allah (God) knows Best.

-A.S.