Today’s National Poetry Writing Month challenge was to write an oldie but a goody : “The Ghazal”. Though originally developed in Arabic and English, it has become increasingly used in English. A ghazal is formed of couplets, each of which is it’s own complete statement. Both lines of the first couplet end with the same phrase or end-word and that end-word is repeated at the end of the rest of the couplets. If you feel truly inspired, you can always make a reference to your own name in the final couplet.

Since it’s dad’s birthday today, decided to dedicate this first attempt to him.

 

I loved you so, all I wanted was for you to love me back,

Watching me from a distance, did not know you always had my back.

 

Just wanted you to be happy, to be the reason for your smile,

Not one who displayed emotions, you smiled when I turned my back.

 

Being your daughter, a part of you, always made me proud,

I tried so hard but you raised the bar, while all I wanted was a pat on my back.

 

I remember the bed-time stories,the visits to the park,

You carrying me home, as I slept on our way back.

 

To follow your heart I learnt from you, to live without regret,

Living my life in a way,  looking forward, no need to look back.

 

You said, ” No time to cry over spilled milk, what’s gone is gone”,

Showing me it was alright to fall, as long as one’s ready to bounce back.

 

What I am today, is the hard work of your yesterday,

There was love in your firmness, I think now, as memories of the past come back.

 

Staying all by yourself, among strangers, in a land so far away,

I wait for the day that you’ll say, “Smitha, my dear, I am back”.

 

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