Long Ghazal Poems

Long Ghazal Poems. Below are the most popular long Ghazal by PoetrySoup Members. You can search for long Ghazal poems by poem length and keyword.


The Closed Door As Calls

Just as my sleep is going deep,
The nightlong foe, my closed door calls. 

Derailing my dream state of sleep, 
Upsetting it, the closed door calls. 

Like cicadas’ continuous clip, 
I wonder why my closed door calls. 

Making my heart’s wilds me to whip,
With a rapid snip closed door calls.

Who’d come in at such time to peep? 
Tired be when night, why closed door calls? 

Making my loneliness to leap, 
Oh desperate, my closed door calls. 

My mind churns and limbs toss and flip, 
Is it my estranged soul that calls? 
_________________________________________ 
Ghazal |06.11.2021|


One Monsoon Eve

Come if you can one monsoon eve,
All wet in rain one monsoon eve.

Make boats— letters we failed to write,
Let them float, feign this monsoon eve.

Borrow fragrance from monsoon clay,
Why waste in vain this monsoon eve.

And if you sight a rainbow there,
Bring too if can one monsoon eve.

Rain that rains renders background score,  
You come, sing your sweet strains one eve. 

Fine if peacocks play the fifth note,
Sans Megh’s domain what’s monsoon eve?

Let monsoon rains drench all others,
You come, drench me one monsoon eve.
_______________________________________
Ghazal |02.06.2022|

Poet’s Note: Monsoon is the time two lovers miss each other if separated. Peacocks call each other using the Fifth Note called Pancham. Monsoon melodies like Megh and Malhar sound more melodious and appealing in rainy season (ref, sixth couplet). This Ghazal was inspired by one in Gujarati by Bhagavatikumar Sharma. As we know, Ghazals cannot be translated. They have to be trans-created. This one keeps the central theme, but the lines have to be thought of anew.

Burden became my life

Hither all her desires, thither my fires,
Balancing both, burden became my life.

In hope of love I walked with wilderness,
Breathe in, breathe out, mundane became my life.

For an excuse to smile, I just shed tears,
Crematorium’s cauldron became my life.

You came to my world, to a wrong address, 
To blessings beholden became my life.

Flowers vie with thorns in this dual world,
What a prickly garden became my life!

To a tinderbox of bamboo forest                        
You came and golden fire became my life. 

As time passed more embolden you became,
You a warden, pardon became my life.         
______________________________
Ghazal |16.03.2025 | life, love, desire, expectations 
Note: Most people are stuck with two types of life: one that is lived, and the other he wishes to live. This Ghazal depicts this dilemma that often persists till the grave. In a way it says without saying so. The opening line in the couplet (matlaa) is without kafia and radeef. Inspired by a Gujarati poem by Venibhai Purohit, but no translation.

Why dwell on what is not

When what life gives is so profound,
Why on what-not woes we dwell on?
     Things of joy are found all around,
     Why on shadows should we dwell on?
Sweet memories in life abound,
Why on sorrows should we dwell on?
     When flowers everywhere are found, 
     Why on prickly claws we dwell on?
Copious spells Spring on earth’s home ground,
Why on celestial rose dwell on?   
________________________________  
Ghazal |18.09.2025 | earth, heaven, joy, life 

Note: This ghazal is slightly off the traditional. There are five couplets, all the first lines of which rhyme, whilst the second line has the refrain (Radif) ‘dwell on’ following the rhyme (Kafia) like woes, shadows, sorrows, claws, and rose.

Unattainable

Satisfying founts of passions, a celebration remains unattainable
Like admiring the unreachable, possession remains unattainable.

Carved pains from which to heal, an abiding endeavour
As pleasure of the mind its satisfaction remains unattainable.

Passion and reason within a soul, harmony far to reach
Ever refining a beautiful soul, perfection remains unattainable.

Poetry, language of uncontrollable words, a wonder to uncover
Soaring imagination, the destination remains unattainable.

Beauty, a value of the mind, rainbows of perception
Like truth core, the heart distinction remains unattainable.

Love, that’s Life in motion, the soul rebirth and growth
Occupying all Love chambers, a dimension remains unattainable.

Nature speaks to silent hearts and feeds restful souls
Walking on Nature’s path, the last station remains unattainable.

In the temple of Light, one Besma raises passionate a sight
Abiding in blessedness, her plea of emotion remains attainable.


September 14th, 2018


Premium Member Back To Her

After the Sunday service, searching back to her
For a date. He will soon be walking back to her.

Bottle rockets popping over the Sacre Coeur.
She suddenly kissed him; he then leaning back to her.

Leave ending, the soldier takes the Gare de l’Est train.
Just outside, from his window, waving back to her.

She travels east by train. He travels south by train.
A weekend in Strasbourg, him meeting back to her.

“Hey! You have another letter. What did he say?”
She reads aloud. He’s always writing back to her.

Five-mark coins clank in the West German phone.
“Je t’aime” heard at her “boulot”; calling back to her.

The Army okayed it. His mother flew over.
Her father was there for the wedding back to her.

First residence in Sohren. First of two munchkins,
Playing under a chair, then crawling back to her.

All night in the post’s delivery room,
Holding her hand.  Love sending back to her.

TDYs learning Serbo-Croatian
Through Germany commuting back to her.

Yugoslavia dies as a nation -
U. N. Peace Keeper writing back to her

From Operation Iraqi Freedom
Telephoning, emailing back to her

Now a civilian, travels behind him,
He’s always nearby, staying back to her

Commuting between Monterey and Salinas,
Both approaching retirement, driving back to her.

The Warrior Poet and his wife walk the old dog.
“Hurry Bella.” “Come on girl.” Whistling back to her.

Gham-e-Ishq Mein Haara Hua Panchhi

Gham-e-Ishq Mein Haara Hua Panchhi  
Main apnon ka maara hua panchhi  
Raahay manzil ka pata aik shikari se pooch ke  
Main aik naye pinjray mein phansaya hua panchhi  

Meri hurmat ka imtihan hai, aur daanay hain kam  
Main maalik ka sataya hua panchhi  
Chaar din ki hai zindagi, teen guzar gaye pinjray mein  
Main apni taqdeer ka rulaya hua panchhi  

Chehchahane se main thaka nahi, lekin chup hoon  
Zang alood salakhon mein chhupaya hua panchhi  
Dhoop aur barish mein dekh leta hoon aksar  
Main neend se bedaar karaya hua panchhi  

Lagta hai umr poori ho gayi shayad  
Main pinjray se bahar uraya hua panchhi  
Thandi hawa aur burhapa mera  
Main aik shaakh pe baitha murjhaya hua panchhi  

Toofaan hai zyada, na ghar hai koi  
Main doosray panchhiyon ka khaya hua panchhi  
Ye bijli ki taar hai, oonchi mehfooz bhi  
Main har maut mara maraya hua panchhi

Why Now

Why Now?

Why Now?
You came to see me when I’m old; why now?
Why not when I was young and bold? Why now?
I lost my luster, my life, my love.
I’m rusty with age, nothing like gold; why now?
My youth has gone; you’re asking for what?
How many times should I tell you I’m old? Why now? 
There was a time that I begged to hold your hands
Now I’m shaking and weak, nothing to hold; why now?
My yesterdays were spring, summer, and fall.
Today, my cold winter remains untold; why now?
You assume that I am what I was that day.
I’m telling let it go, none to be told, why now?
You want to buy my love as it’s worth that day,
Trust me; it’s gone, worthless to be sold; why now?
Do you remember “Haloo,” what it was? And now,
If you open your eyes, our minds unfold; why now?
12/28/2015    Haloo

Inspired by Shahriyar

The Revealed Myth

Lost in the desert at night, a maze of stairs reveals the myth.
Neon sign, beside a paan-red smile, pairs-- revealing the myth.

Clotho has ringlets, Lachesis slanted eyes, Aisa laugh lines, 
Weaving tapestry of rapturous affairs, reveal the myth.

Who plays the distant sarangi? Who pours the quenching nectar?
Falling into stride behind Inanna's heirs reveals the myth.

Those intimate moments trace the tangible warmth on her skin.
In proud destitution, a desire she wears: reveals the myth.

Sand trickles through his anxious fingers, the mirage disappears.
At dawn fugitive memories Tashir bears. The revealed myth.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 31 / 10 / 2016

Premium Member Beatitudes

Lord, please tell us how we can be blessed?
Shall I tell you who of these are blessed?

Receiving the kingdom of heaven,
the lowly, poor in spirit are blessed.

Receiving solace, comfort, those who
sorrowfully grieve and mourn are blessed.

Being satisfied, those who hunger
yearn, and thirst for righteousness are blessed.

Receiving compassion and mercy
the merciful, graciously, are blessed.

Seeing the face of the living God
the untainted, pure in heart are blessed.

Being adopted as sons of God,
peacemaking reconcilers are blessed.

Receiving the kingdom of heaven,
those aggrieved for virtue's sake are blessed.

Receiving great reward in heaven,
those reviled on my account are blessed.

----------

From Matthew 5, the Beatitudes, recast as a Ghazal with 9-syllable couplets
© Jeff Kyser  Create an image from this poem.

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