Grave: A Ghazal

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Ghazal

Grave: A Ghazal
©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer

Smelling the earth’s mist as spring bloom comes,
reminds me of your scent–please be back.

List’ning to the songs you sang for me,
replays your husky voice–please be back.

Re-reading the poems you’ve penned for me,
recalls your heartfelt words–please be back.

Embracing the ceaseless ache inside me,
rewinds that fateful day—please be back.

Sitting on top of your mute green bed,
reminds it’s too late to say—please be back.

—

Photo credit: Larry Chen

In response to Blogging from A to Z Challenge: G is for Ghazal

Ghazal

  • metric at the discretion of the poet. All lines should be of equal length and meter.
  • made up of 5 to 15 shers. The sher is the couplet of the traditional ghazal when it includes a “main rhyme” (qaafiyaa) established somewhere in the 2nd half of L1 of the opening sher (matla), and is repeated in L2 immediately before the refrain (radif), which is the last word or phrase of L2. This main rhyme and refrain is repeated in L2 of ALL subsequent shers in the ghazal.
  • written with the opening sher (matla) establishing the tone, main rhyme (qaafiyaa) and refrain (radif).
    a = main rhyme; R = refrain

    xxxxxx a xx R
    xxxxxx a xx R

  • Subsequent shers (maqta) carry the main rhyme and refrain in the 2nd line. L1 of all subsequent shers has no restrictions other than to be the same length or meter as L2.

    xxxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxa xx R

    xxxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxaxx R

—

Missed a letter/poem? Read all Poetry from A-Z here.

Published by areadingwriter

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63 thoughts on “Grave: A Ghazal”

  1. I hope someday to sing you a ghazal from one of the top ghazal maestros of India. 🙂 oh and I did my first doha. You inspired me. 🙂 and on your ghazal is beautiful.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I find it interesting that so many poetic forms from the East are now suddenly making their way into the West, or at least, into English. Not sure what I think about it all, but am pleased all the same.
    I feel about these forms borrowed from other languages the same way I feel about Starbucks’ use of our classic Indian chai. Starbucks’ chai is not the same as true chai, but they’re still very nice, or at least, carry some flavour. The true flavour with these poems, of course, in the original languages where these forms originated. The haiku comes to mind, as well. I cringe when I write haiku, because I KNOW they’re not the same as Japanese haiku, and yet …
    Sorry for rambling. Well-done, Rosema, as always! Enjoyed your poem’s form and flavour! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Haha! Thank you, Vijaya! I will gladly read your ramblings because they are informative and they make a lot of sense! 😀 😀 😀
      I think East’s culture is slowly conquering West? 🙂

      Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. thank you, Fida! 🙂 I am always glad to see my poems read by writers i haven’t known yet! so it is great meeting you (virtually!). 🙂
      And thank you for your generous kind words! 🙂

      Like

  17. There’s powerfully evocative phrasing here: “. . . Smelling the earth’s mist . . . replays your husky voice . . . Embracing the ceaseless ache . . .” And more. Certainly, this is its own song.

    Liked by 1 person

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