Reunion

In 1999 or so I had a vivid dream where I met my father briefly in the City of Necropolis. A few years have passed since then, but I still remember the dream vividly. Seemed like it was time to reflect that memory into a poem.

Reunion

i met him once
in another plane
beneath pale blue sky
surrounded
by cold grey towers
older than time

i remember
walking by myself
down archéd hallways
stretching long
sullen and dim
devoid of life

life lived not here
though it did pass through
in its erring quest
to fathom
what it all means
this strange journey

i met him here
where corridors crossed
through ages brooding
we alone
held in our gaze
one another

his face showed pain
fathomless concern
i saw not in life
but here now
in this city
Necropolis

we did not speak
though thoughts in balance
poised long on his lips
unable
to form one word
from his pained heart

not one thing moved
in this agéd place
where motion and time
stood frozen
as in silence
our gazes locked

i saw his pain
his longing to know
how i was doing
in absence
of his own life
he took from me

Publication History:

Blackmail Press (web-based) — Spring 2006

Moonset

I have always felt a peculiar connection with the moon, like an enchantment. I suppose this is true for most people. She does, after all, tug at the very molecules from which we’re formed and influence the tidal flows of our chemistries.

Moonset

Upon a streaming cloudscape floats directive moon;
Like a feather falling drifts perfective moon.

Soundless autumn breezes rustle unseen leaves—
Silhouettes of trees beneath projective moon.

Moonlight flickers faintly, cast through broken shroud;
Gently in descent retreats respective moon.

Shifting slow and silent against the depths of night,
Radiant vapors phase below reflective moon.

Soundless on horizon, a cloud-like dragon flies,
Final hues reflecting from far prospective moon.

Still, serene, amazed, Zahhar observes alone,
Distant shimmering moods of our affective moon.

This is my 17th ghazal.

Publication History

The Ghazal Page (web-based) — August 2003

Road

The open road has played a significant role in my life. I ran away as a teenager and spent a few years wandering the narrow black lanes of America. As an adult I’ve explored most of the states west of the Mississippi by bus and by car. As the cost of gas rises, this has become less practical, but I’ll still take to the highways once in a while when I need time to think, meditate, and reflect.

Road

There spanned before me a long wending road,
Stretching aloft a life-mending road.

Expanses stirred in my spirit a goad,
Spurring adventures along trending road.

Drifting alone with a great mental load
I wandered far on the peace-lending road.

The changing lands were my phasing abode
Beneath the skies of an unending road.

Hope was reformed through steady erode
Of useless views on strength-spending road.

Amid moving seasons wandering strode
The dreamless Zahhar on soul-tending road.

This is my 12th ghazal.

Publication History:

LYNX (web-based) — October 2002

Guidance

There was a time when I was more religiously minded. That was a long time ago. This ghazal was written a long time ago. Still, religious or not, it never hurts to seek the guidance of a higher power.

Guidance

Our souls and spirits, minds and hearts all need God’s guidance;
It seems we have the most to gain to heed God’s guidance.

When all the worst occurs and you lose your only footing,
A cry of need into the sky will speed God’s guidance.

When relentless fears assail with crushing weight and swell,
You will be blest beyond a doubt to plead God’s guidance.

Ask for knowledge of his will and willingness as well,
Else there is a likeliness to just misread God’s guidance.

It benefits to cognize his way is not our own;
Without trust in his will we retrocede God’s guidance.

When his loving way is shunned we dimly walk alone
And stumbling comfortless in pain impede God’s guidance.

In leading us he tends to veer for growth and learning;
There may be pain, but nothing can exceed God’s guidance.

Zahhar himself has walked through fearsome blazes burning
And has availed in knowing to concede God’s guidance.

This is my 11th ghazal.

Publication History:

The Penwood Review — Spring 2003

Fragments

This is the poem that got me started studying poetry very seriously in August of 2001. Before I wrote this, I was hopelessly stuck in free-verse mode, never exploring beyond the bounds of the paradigmatic popular. So, you’ll find that some of the language is archaic because this is what it took for me to create this piece.

After writing this, I spent the next two and a half years writing ghazals. To read those ghazals from the first to the last is to follow my progression as a poet from the sort of thing you see here part of the way to the sort of thing I write today. This piece, though I’ve edited it a few times since writing it, is still exemplary of my beginnings as a serious poet.

Fragments

What walks on four legs in the morning,
Two legs in the afternoon,
And three legs in the evening?

Dawn

Faint light appears along horizon’s edge;
With steady pace the still light brighter glows;
New promise comes with daybreak like a pledge.

Tide of gentle rising luminance flows;
Deep darkness slowly fades away from sight;
With steady pace the still light brighter glows.

Dim shapes concealed beneath the veil of night
Form into clarity with even stride;
Deep darkness slowly fades away from sight.

New life, from stasis, forth emerges wide;
Fresh understandings of brave life to be
Form into clarity with even stride.

Illuminance continues rising free;
And vivid hope within the heart inspires
Fresh understandings of brave life to be.

To utter brilliance from the slightest fires,
Faint light appears along horizon’s edge
And vivid hope within the heart inspires;
New promise comes with daybreak like a pledge.
 

Sunrise

Great new brilliant birthing springs resilient;
Erased is doubt from whence the light ensues;
Wondrous blooming sunlight climbs ebullient.

To resplendence from the first light’s pastel hues
This shining marvel heart and soul entrance;
Erased is doubt from whence the light ensues.

Deep knowing brooded warm of life’s advance
Until horizon’s edge erupted fire;
This shining marvel heart and soul entrance.

From thence the sun shall rise in tranquil gyre,
As such it streamed beneath the realm of sight
Until horizon’s edge erupted fire.

A glorious new day has taken flight;
Fresh living streams exultant into view,
As such it streamed beneath the realm of sight.

Hopes inmost and profound are realized true;
Great new brilliant birthing springs resilient;
Fresh living streams exultant into view;
Wondrous blooming sunlight climbs ebullient.
 

Morningtide

Exploring gently, day’s new light grows strong;
Forth climbs the sun into sky’s vast expanse;
Slow shrink the shadows as the day wears long.

Deep feeling forms with day’s glowing advance,
The sense of vibrant strength that shines in youth;
Forth climbs the sun into sky’s vast expanse.

Warmth deepens in the bold sun’s rising sooth,
And warmth within the heart of life instills
The sense of vibrant strength that shines in youth.

Lambency wondrous tender hope distills;
In fervent luminance the land is bathed
And warmth within the heart of life instills.

Life’s essence in all steadiness is lathed
As fullness of the day is slowly reached,
In fervent luminance the land is bathed.

Life’s greatest depths of meaning are beseeched;
Exploring gently, day’s new light grows strong
As fullness of the day is slowly reached,
Slow shrink the shadows as the day wears long.
 

Noontide

Day reaches utmost fullness of its run;
The land lay brightly blazoned neath the sky
Where at resplendent zenith burns the sun.

Shadows vanish before the fulgence high;
Great living light of day its prime has gained;
The land lay brightly blazoned neath the sky.

Deep feeling of life’s richness is attained
In radiance magnificently made,
Great living light of day its prime has gained.

The airy land in stillness bright is staid,
And deepest gentle warmth all life imbues
In radiance magnificently made.

Full strength of living in the heart ensues
As brilliant glows the day from boundless height
And deepest gentle warmth all life imbues.

Grand sense of freedom wonderful takes flight;
Day reaches utmost fullness of its run
As brilliant glows the day from boundless height
Where at resplendent zenith burns the sun.
 

Eventide

Slow fades the greater power of the day;
Bright sun forth to horizon makes return;
Life’s prime has gently passed in subtle sway.

Soft breezes whisper through day’s paced adjourn;
Calm cools the land with fading strength of light;
Bright sun forth to horizon makes return.

Reflections vivid come of living’s height
As nearer draws the daytide’s closing end,
Calm cools the land with fading strength of light.

A calmness settles deep as shadows scend,
And peaceful reckoning rises within
As nearer draws the daytide’s closing end.

Now mostly lived, life’s fullness goes to thin
As placid grows the sky in day’s advance,
And peaceful reckoning rises within.

Staid iridescence dims in far expanse;
Slow fades the greater power of the day
As placid grows the sky in day’s advance,
Life’s prime has gently passed in subtle sway.
 

Sunset

In paced decline withdraws the mighty sun;
All land and sky reflect the dying light,
Resplendent glory of the day is done.

Day’s utmost beauties saved till now take flight
Like effulgent gates of heaven gleaming,
All land and sky reflect the dying light.

Life’s swan song of light shines brightly dreaming,
Reflections stream of day’s long cavalcade
Like effulgent gates of heaven gleaming.

Shadows begin to blur in overshade
As sun’s last rays fall from horizon’s rim
Reflections stream of day’s long cavalcade.

Upon sky’s faintest vapors colors swim
Emblazoning the firmament’s expanse
As sun’s last rays fall from horizon’s rim.

Great culmination of day’s long romance,
In paced decline withdraws the mighty sun
Emblazoning the firmament’s expanse,
Resplendent glory of the day is done.
 

Dusk

Soft iridescence fades from heaven’s height;
To darkness deep the sky gradates from day
When cross the sky folds purple edge of night.

In firmament’s expanse the vapors gray
As silhouettes within the distance form;
To darkness deep the sky gradates from day.

Depthless tranquility broods deep and warm,
Day’s essence long in memory remains
As silhouettes within the distance form.

Into a milky hue the daylight wanes
As clarity to vagueness makes return,
Day’s essence long in memory remains.

In dimness issued forth from sun’s inurn
New hopes pierce the dark in twilight’s failing
As clarity to vagueness makes return.

Till horizon all alone lay paling
Soft iridescence fades from heaven’s height;
New hopes pierce the dark in twilight’s failing
When cross the sky folds purple edge of night.

This poem contains my 1st through my 7th terzanelles.

Publication History:

Muse Apprentice Guild (web-based) — Fall 2003