Conversation With A Child
Your parents are just as scared as you are
This may sound slightly bizarre
I assure you, it's perfectly true
Wait just a second, and read on, I'll prove it to you....
Let me explain
This new found idea of mine
It's perfectly reasonable
Just remember. One at a time
They have fears
Worse than anything we can imagine
They are our worst nightmares
Even like being eaten by a dragon
They have the same blood
As you and I
But they are also
A little more ready to die
They know of life
And what it can do
They know of strife
And the consequences it can have upon you
All they want
Is to have you safe and sound
But the way you see it
You're party bound
You care not
For the sacrifices they make
You have love only for
The amount of risks you take
But let me tell you
What a mistake that will be
Later in life
You will soon see
The results will be tragic
Strong, and powerful, like an oak
But it can't be fixed with magic
Because you've only just gone broke
And now what is your answer?
Oh dear, loving child?
Go crying back to mommy?
Who's terrible punishment now seems so mild....
Oh, please, I'm so lost...
...But with you mum, I'm found
Your poor loving parents
Have loved you all these years
Even after all your trouble
They open their arms as you draw near
You see what you've done
What love really means
You find your own heart
Tangled, messed up, now bursting at the seams
Soon they will be gone
And you will too
But the real question is
Who will your children look up to?
Ditto
We all have different ideas of what happens to us after we die. Some believe we go to heaven or hell, depending how good a person we were. Others believe there is simply nothing, so we must make the most out of life, since there is nothing beyond it.
The film 'Ghost', starring Demi Moore and the late Patrick Swayze, plays with that very idea. The plot is something that is not quite as unique as you'd like it, but even so, it has a lasting effect on anyone who watches it.
Some call it a romance, others horror, but to me, it is not the genre that matters. It is, quite simply, the number one subject that kept any decent moviegoer watching. It can make even the most cold hearted person feel rather different after watching it. I felt something deep within me the very first time I saw it. I was young, but I kept it in my head. I felt for Demi Moore, as she watched her lover die, as she skeptically met the spiritualist, Whoopi Goldberg, and talked to Sam, as she found out about Carl, her best friend, who had most evil intentions all along, as she danced with Sam from beyond the grave, and as she kissed him one last time before his soul left this world, finally at peace.
What makes this take so compelling and heartfelt, the melancholy of it all, is that it is what we all crave. He thought he stayed on earth because he loved her so intensely, but I don't believe it was that, because love is not power enough to keep us her. He had unfinished business, really. He was not ready to die, but he did anyway. He did not want to leave her, but he did anyway. He wanted to come back, but that couldn't happen.
The human soul is a mysterious thing, and this film captures the essence of it. What makes this film beautiful, and utterly remarkable, is this. He didn't want those things to happen, but they did, and he was powerless to stop it. He desperately hated seeing his love in that state, and would have given anything to make her happy once again. He couldn't leave her straight away.
And that's why he stayed. The film is not about him being murdered. It's about what happens after. What he does once it happens. It took him a while to truly accept he was dead, but eventually, he did. Life, in itself, is not about the bad situations in it. It's what you make of them, that counts. He was given the choice to stay, and look after her for a little while longer, as a gift. Yes, he was dead, he wasn't coming back to life. But at least, if his was gone, he managed to save hers.
I think the theme that has been weaved into Ghost is bad things happen, and there are bad people in the world who make them happen. But if you fight against them, make sacrifices, then eventually you will get what you want, and defeat them, even if it seems impossible. Hey, Patrick Swayze was dead, but still managed to have one last beautiful moment with her. Well two, really.
It may not be as you imagined it, but it will be good for someone else at least. And the bad people will be sorted out on their own. Everyone gets their just desserts sooner or later. Even the richest and most powerful of men can fall from the greatest heights to the lowest place. Just like poor Willis Lopez. This film is more than just a silly romance. It has something a lot of us want, a last chance to communicate with a passed soul. Another chance at anything, really. Alas, real life is much crueller than that. But don't worry. Sooner or later, we'll meet them again. However long it takes.
Don’t be afraid
She looks towards me, and smiles. But I don't smile back. Her smile wavers, and she tilts her head, slightly confused.
She looks as if she's about to say something, but he grabs her arm roughly, and pulls her next to him, one arm tightly encircling her waist. He continues talking to the man in front of him, but doesn't let her go. She pushes against him, but he only holds her tighter.
I see the pain on her face, as she tries to escape, but he waves goodbye to his friend, and, once he's out of sight, pushes her against the wall, shouting in her face. She answers in retaliation, but he slaps her on the cheek. I see the shock on her face, as she gently touches the red mark he left. He catches his breath for a second, before he kicks her to the ground. I hear her screams, trying to defend herself, but unable to.
I yell, and shout, but she can't hear me. I run to her, try to push him off, stop him, but to no avail. He stops for a second, panting hard after inflicting such damage on a delicate, soft being. She coughs, and spits out blood. A drop falls, and runs down her cheek, like a crimson tear.
He kicks her a final time, and walks off, leaving her bruised and bloody. Her eyes are half open, and staring straight at me. She has realised her mistake, but nothing can be done now. I bend down, and try to touch her face, but I cannot. I see the fear in her eyes, how afraid she is. I gently comfort her, reassure her, it will be ok. The fault was mine, the blame is on me, she couldn't have controlled it. She'll be in good hands.
And as she closes her eyes, I see a stranger, a woman walking nearby, notice her, and gasp in horror, dropping her handbag, and start to shout. Others gather, and get out their phones, and call the ambulance. But it's too late. She is already in the place all angels and saints go. I think of her, and wish her happiness.
And as I turn back, I see him, sharp, pointed teeth glinting, scarlet eyes alive with fire burning deep inside. He grins, and beckons towards me with a dirty fingernail, now filled with a sick joyfulness, breathing in my regret and sadness.
If only I had fought harder, been kinder, tried more, I could have prevented it. But what is done cannot be undone, and now, all that awaits me is an eternity reminding me of my cowardice.
The scene stops. I see a blur of colours and shapes whiz past me. She looks toward me. And smiles.
A Smile To Remember
I'm sorry
For what I said
What I did
I stopped thinking
And started drinking
It went to my head
And all I could see was red
There was nothing you could have done
Don't try to fix it
To make it better
It won't work
It never did
And it never will
All I see now
Is his face
Staring back at me
From heavy black bars
Mouthing those terrible words
You did this
You could have controlled it
You could have stopped this
It was all you
And now you have to pay
Dark, red rimmed eyes
Dirty, ragged clothes that smell of smoke
Strong, brutal hands
Capable of so much power and agony
And so much gentleness, and beauty
And as the man in uniform walks up and unlocks the door
The face fades away
And smiles
And says one last sentence
I look forward to meeting you again
A Human Loss
The Start Of A New Life
A life has been led,
Tears have been shed,
There is much left to say,
We must not forget,
The imprint he left,
On the hearts of those he prayed,
The man who's life,
Was so dear...
But came with a price,
For in his wake he left,
The one thing,
Which cannot be put to rest,
What makes the world go round?
What makes everything safe and sound?
...But for now we remember,
The anniversary we celebrated in December,
The memories, the good times,
What makes this poem rhyme,
The friendships he made,
The places he stayed,
The one who granted all his wishes,
The one who gave him riches,
Not gold, not that desirable evil
Which turns men into devils
But of a lifelong desire,
To achieve a place,
A place in the clouds,
With the one who cemented,
The faith in him,
Which he never resented,
The one who created,
All life on this land,
A thing without which,
This earth would be very bland,
He left behind,
A large family, so kind
A daughter and two sons
A sister times four,
And a brother thrice times over,
Who live this world over,
He has joined his own,
Dear loving parents,
Who left this world all those years ago,
And his dear three sisters,
Who have missed him so,
A long wait they have had
Finally, at last!
They welcome him in such delight,
A son and a brother,
To them,
He is thee,
Who will be the next to join?
For now,
We shall wait and see,
For though he may be missed,
Very much, I must admit,
He is happy, and is resting,
And so, we must let him,
His words forget we shall not,
His grave will never rot
While my heart aches deeply,
We must not weep,
A life without him was unfathomable,
Completely unimaginable,
Not something I could comprehend,
But all things come to an end,
His absence is like,
The sea without the fishes,
But he achieved,
His lifelong desire,
To be with the one,
Who grants wishes,
Life Goes On
Everyone always has a story about how they came close to death, through an accident, or something. But that isn't the only way you can come in contact with it. When my grandfather passed away a couple of weeks ago, it was the closest I ever came to death. It was like an entity hovering around us. A single word, yet so powerful.
In the Quran, it says that for a while after a person passes away, they can still see their loved ones, so we mustn't cry too much. I whole heartedly believe in that, because it was a great source of comfort getting through the first few days. Knowing that he was still watching over us, watching as my grandmother cried herself to sleep, as my aunt tried to explain to my three year old cousin how he had 'gone back' to God, as my dad kissed my forehead, and hugged me , gently telling me to quieten my tears, as he himself rubbed his sore, red eyes.
I didn't feel anger, I felt peace in the fact he was no longer suffering. Dementia is one of the most heartbreaking things that can happen to a family member, and I was glad he was now happy, and with his own long gone parents and sisters.
It has been strange, trying to cope with this new feeling. It's like a heavy dark lead weight on my chest, that presses down when I suddenly remember he is no longer on this world. You see it in books and films and it's so dramatic, but in real life, it's completely different. We stuck together as a family, and no one is going through it alone. Especially not our grandmother. That first night, my dad, my aunt and my uncle all slept in her flat, probably the first time in years, so they could help their mother through that difficult time.
If there was anything good to come of it, it was the fact that it really did bring the whole family together. Cousins, second cousins, great aunts, uncles, from across the globe came to say goodbye a last time. It was a truly beautiful thing, and I am grateful for the kind, loving family I belong to.
A common misconception about death is it always is very sad all the time, and everyone is constantly in mourning. I think for a very long time, there will always be a very sad atmosphere wherever we go. But we are able to remember the good times, the memories, the funny stories. Those are what people forgot about. My grandmother sat and listened with a smile on her face to the many stories about my grandfather, from when he was a small child, when he became head of the family, when he travelled all over the world, preaching our religion to people of all cultures, spreading the message. The hearts he touched, the lives he made different, of them there was many. I regret not spending more time with him, not talking to him as much. I really and truly love him, no matter where he is. He is alive in our hearts, in our memories, and always will be. He always wished us success in our lives, no matter what we did. He was the one with a flair for words in his family, and for that, and many other things, I thank him dearly.