“Weeping at Ghani’s Grave” (a poem mourning Khan Abdul Ghani Khan)

March 16th was Ghani Khan’s death anniversary, so I figured to transfer this poem I wrote for him on my old blog over to this one! For anyone who doesn’t know this legend, he was a Pashtun poet, thinker, philosopher, sculptor, and essentially everything else and I’m crazy about him. He was also distractingly hot in his youth, so there’s that. (He was born in 1914 and died in 1996; God be pleased with him – aameen.) You can read all about him at Pashtun Personality of the Week: Ghani Khan – Philosopher, Poet, Sculptor. Annnd here’s an article I wrote about his poetry, too, titled “The Mullah as an Ideology in Ghani Khan’s Poetry.”

Also, I wrote this poem like eons ago, so don’t be hay’in  (i.e., hating)!! 2010 was a long time, ago, you know. I mean, I’d been writing poetry for only, what, 8 years at the time? lulz.

And, also, look what someone did to the poem (thank you to that person 🙂 Lots of salaamuna to loyal fans!):

Now the poem without the video/beautiful music:

Weeping at Ghani’s Grave

Among a people who deem reason and thought
Deplorable crimes and despicable sins
Among a folk with minds wrought
Where the mind loses and folly wins
I sit by your grave, shedding bitter tears,
Feeling your loss as my time nears

I weep and weep, and I weep at night,
Lamenting the loss of immortal you
You’ve left me aghast in a forlorn fight
With a people of a muddled hue
A God who’s bao, a bala* they fear
Who’s not a Beloved, not a friend so dear

I search to find your path,
Buried amidst the sands of bile
I’m stifled in a dull people’s wrath
But the wait to meet you is worthwhile
I live now – but only to die tomorrow
For I’m tired and riled, stuffed with sorrow

I’ll die tomorrow to embrace you,
To touch your feet and feel your company
And to leave this world without any rue
As must have been part of my destiny
Let Azrael** repent for taking your soul
For he’s left your nation drowning in a shoal

Assure me, O’ Ghani, you’ll be there when I come
For I have wept so much at your grave
That my eyes have become numb
And your blessed presence is all I crave
Your immortal truths, I recite over and over
For that’s all I need to keep myself in clover

–  Orbala
June 28th 2010

* bao/bala = a monster, something evil meant to scare (children)
** Azrael = the archangel of death