Obsolete // life’s most difficult burden
Life lingers on as you wait for heaven
Your rising soul resists the dimming light
Strong and powerful //waiting for heaven
Time and physical tolls // body wears out
Still you struggle // not ready for heaven
Mind and body fail you // yet life goes on
Disappear // four walls // waiting for heaven
The end is near // it is perfectly clear
Breathing is difficult // nearing heaven
Spirit rises // all earthly struggles cease
Safe in the arms of God // you reach heaven
A few years ago we waited while my mother-in-law was coming to the end of her life. I wrote a poem at that time called Waiting to Die, which was a combination of what I felt about life and what was actually taking place. Today, I have condensed those thoughts into a Ghazal for d’Verse Poets Pub. The Ghazal is from an ancient Arabic poety that writes in couplets of the same length. They end in each couplet with the same or similar words. It us usually about love, life, or pain. This is my second attempt at a Ghazal.
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Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Very poignant. 😌
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Thank you very much!
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an accurate depiction Dwight, nice ghazal … it’s an unusual form
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Always hard to watch hard to wait. Beautiful!
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Yes it is. Thank you Mary!
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Safe in the arms of God – I find this part very reassuring. I can relate to your experience and its tough when a loved one leave us after such a struggle. Thanks for sharing Dwight and enjoy your summer.
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You are welcome! These new poetic forms are a challenge for me. Thank you for your response.
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How effective, the breaks indicated in the lines – like the faltering breath.
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Yes, I was introduced to them at d’Verse Poets Pub and I really like they way they help the flow of the poem!
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Certainly, this is a love poem. In a sense a dual love poem as it invokes the love of the Deity and provides condolence to the reader as well as the poignancy another person commented on. I think it’s an effective and responsive way to write the Ghazal form and I believe you have done so quite successfully in this piece.
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Thank you so much for you kind review of my poem. This form is new to me. this subject seemed to work well with the Ghazal. I really appreciate your affirmation!
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This is very moving and flows almost takes us to heaven. Seems very positive about loss.
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Thanks you so much. I am glad it connected with you.
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