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Two Parallels

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Being the holder of the eyes
that only weep for Husayn
gave us the ears to hear the
heavens and the earth call out his name

His body is here and the earth is thankful for the remnant
but on the day that someone, somewhere
knew that he was going to fall
the heavens and the earth had their first war

And we hear its missiles echo…

the kisses the earth showered him with
the warmth the heavens sent him

“don’t leave me with just your body
it’ll be broken and with no Husayn”

“come to me where you’ll have Abbas
and all those who came to you proud”

“understand my grief, that when you die
it can’t be consoled by the thought of my mortality
I’ll die when everything dies and so I still have many losses to hold”

“I have created for you gardens upon gardens
and no one dared to come and sit waiting for you”

“how will I lose your children ahead without you?
you’re the one who walked upon me gently and so
I quiver when others walk upon me”

“Husayn, I have your mother wailing, asking for you
won’t you bring her peace and die for justice?
won’t your head come forward, avenging her rib?
I don’t want you to suffer, I just want you in my reach”

“I know, I’m simply the earth and am perishable
but Husayn, if you leave me, I won’t know how to calm down
I’d be like the lion that roars but is never hushed unless be it by you”

“I’m calling with all the angels to have you near
we know what’s to come, we don’t want to watch
but we don’t want it to be prolonged, Husayn
just answer each angel, each level, and Fatima’s call”

“Husayn there isn’t a thing that doesn’t know your fate
yet we all still stand in shock when you leave as if clueless
I’m the dirt you walk upon and how great a blessing it has been
I’ve been serving you the best I can for whatever you needed me to be
I thanked God, each moment for having you be upon me”

“As the Heavens I am, I’m pure,
Husayn, as the grandson you are,
You are pure, why aren’t we together?”

“I know they are throwing around bloodshed
And I know you can’t stay much longer but Husayn
I need your warmth to keep me from dying
I need you in your body and not away from it”

“Seven levels of me yearn for you
and when you hit wave on one level
I await all seven to bend backwards in awe
Husayn, I can’t wait for the flexibility”

“Forget this sun, I need you-Husayn-we are attached
the sun in the sky doesn’t tell me that I owe her
not because we’re in love, but because we both owe you”

“Being where I am, I can see it all
Husayn, I can see that our words have disturbed you
they tugged you back and forth from life and death
but don’t we all know that this will all end in moments to come?”

“Husayn, I hear Shimr walking closer to you
and my own dust weeps, I hate carrying him
forgive me for the firm ground I held
I just didn’t want you to shake with a broken back”

“The pain will subside, and the voice that you hear is your mother’s
Ali is waiting for your face to smile, because right now, all he feels is your pain”

“Your pain is left here with us and is buried in me
your body has no you, but I’d die if I couldn’t be the one to hold it
you leave me with just your body and its not even whole
but how thankful am I, to host yearly gatherings at your shrine?
how thankful am I to hold all of these lovers’ gatherings to you?
how thankful am I to hear them answer your call, years later?
Husayn, all of these thanks are sweet but they all stem from grief.”




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