When Will Ye Go, O Guest?

Will he has, heart to serve, host is kind, How long still O thou guest should ye stay? In limit O guest is welcome lined, Reason none whatso to overstay. Time passes, leaving things stale behind, O leave bags and baggage, why delay? Be thou guest of God, he too is kind, Waiting, let no one's welcome decay. Good to go just as came, keep in mind, Taxing one's patience never does pay, Taken care well, doted and well dined, Ye aught know still your good-before day. _____________________________________________ _______ In Sanskrit atithi means guest, literally one who calls in without date. Death is also an atithi. The host does not know when he would leave. Most of us are frightened of death, and do everything at our disposal to extend our stay on earth, if just to linger around. I always wonder why. Man, as guest here, should rather return at the earliest opportunity, and come back with new garments, new goal duly invigorated. Ghazals, as genre, are made popular by Urdu poetry. They do not render so easily in English. This one is an attempt. Set in anapaest meter. _____________________________________________ ______________ Ghazals | 03.05.14 |