To her death-bed… descends Ahmed… by the door he calls our her name
I heard torment… you fell silent… I came to find your door aflame
* * *
The sun rises upon the Earth… and with it Mustafa rises
At the same time, Ahmed descends… bringing with him Heaven’s roses
In searching for Fatima’s star… Mustafa on the sun perches
And Ahmed smells Heaven’s roses… for Fatima’s scent he searches
To Earth, skies bend… Ahmed descends… toward him Mustafa ascends
They become one… to her, they turn… I came to find your door aflame
* * *
I am the tongue of my Lord’s throne… and I act as my Lord decrees
I come speechless, in my eyes tears… to Heaven’s scent my soul hurries
I’m seeking the Lady of Light… a sea of tears, the eye carries
I am in love with who love her… and at war with her enemies
What is destined…. what has happened… I call her name and hear silence
Where is Zahra… won’t she answer… I came to find the door aflame
* * *
I come and stand beside her door… the door I would visit daily
I find it burnt and its broken… the house of my daughter empty
I see a nail with her blood… the torture of sorrow grips me
I see her tears are everywhere… calling out ‘where are you Ali?’
In my grievance… I lose balance… I fall by the door of Zahra
I see, there, torn… left an unborn… I came to find your door aflame
* * *
I see a casket that holds grief… and by it see Ali weeping
Dare I ask him, who is inside… for I see light from it seeping
I used to hear my daughters cries… every night, for me lamenting
But now there is only silence… why is my beloved missing?
What have they done… my flesh and bone… from you has been taken away
Tell me, Ali… where is she… I came to find your door aflame
* * *
Zahra fades away into night… and the eyes of her soul open
In front of her is her father… “O’ my daughter, it’s been too long”
He asks her, “what happened to you… with bruises your body ridden?
Why are your hands upon your chest… why does your rib seem broken?”
She says, father… bring your anger… after you left, they attacked me
He says, daughter… I’m in despair… I came to find your door aflame
* * *
O’ my father after you left… they refused to obey your word
In a hunger to grab power… your burial they abandoned
I told Ali, hide my grave… so if any ask what happened
They will know that I died angry… with the first and with the second
And my anger… is of Allah’s… his throne shook when they burnt my door
He said, Zahra… I’m in horror… I came to find your door aflame
* * *
Muhammad embraces Zahra… and they both smell each other’s scent
They are at last, together one… leaving Ali here to lament
To the Heavens, they both ascend… leaving Ali with his back bent
They are at one, eternally… while Ali weeps every moment
Without his love… he can’t go on… and battles daily with patience
He returns home… crying, alone… I came to find your door aflame
* * *
(London – 27/12/20)