Road to Jannah

Contemplating the Sunset Across the Road
from Maqaam Ayyub, Southern Syria

A Dream within a Dream

The sky is robin egg blue
Undulating verdant hills fold out into the distance
Vineyards brilliant green against the gentle hills
And I am standing on a yellow dusty road
Watching pink gold light the sky

I have been here before
A dream within a dream
I walk and see the bottle
It is empty but labeled
‘Broken Dreams’
Shards of glass within the glass

How can this place exist in a barren land?
How can summer rain gently fall on my face,
warm from the sun?
How can Allah’s mercy exist through all my sins?

The cool grey rocks beckon,
I sit holding my jar close to me
Sorrow, Grief and Shukr now fill it
I remind myself that this too
was Ayyub’s paradise.

At waters edge I stood laughing
My hands gripping the black lava cliffs
The rocks beneath my feet smooth and sharp

Blue of every hue stretching into the distance
Water lapping against me, pure and clear

So much beauty blinded my heart like
the sun my eyes that day
Surely Someone loves me? I thought

The waves came and went back
pulling me towards the distance
pulling me, pulling me

Sunshine sparkling off the drops
I smiled,
and wanted to let go.

September

I dreamt last night
of autumn leaves
that passed me by
like dreams of my youth,
floating,
on a stream near my woods.

There were reds, greens, oranges,
glorious creations,
distracting me from my dhikr
of Ramadan.

Cold november rain
falls on my face,
as I hurry to the Eid prayer.

How much time has passed,
I can’t remember,
since Eid was once in summer?

Icicles cover every bare tree in
shattering beauty.

January winds make them tinkle
as I walk to class,
I think of Hajjis.

March, another birthday
can I ask time to stop?

Even from me it turns
a cold shoulder.

The world turns verdant and
one small violet flower in my yard
struggles upwards.

Doesn’t she know it’s only May?

Wild strawberries and
endless sun,
weddings every weekend.

Are these tears of happiness, sadness
or summer rain?

It does not matter
for
it is September again.

Once upon a full moon, a fair maiden walked a glade. Her robes silver  laced, her skin dusky rose. Her eyes jewels that shone ruby, sapphire,  emerald, her tresses a golden mauve. She came upon the river bank and saw  him all at once.

His steed pure white in the moonlight. His dark hair and eyes like  midnight. Bringing his horse closer he kneeled, and brought his palms to  his lips to drink. In the water a vision appeared and his gaze quickly  followed the moonlit path. She stood across the shore, still as a fallen  star, her bewitching gaze riveting him in place.

‘It is she’, he thought.

She saw recognition and surprise, and her lips curved slightly. She  stepped closer to the shore and lifted her hem, glass slippers she wore  and herlong dress weighed heavily. Her hands she raised helplessly.

‘Beloved’, she called ‘won’t you cross to me.’

The prince rose to full height and stared at the river’s quick and mighty  flow.

‘My love’, he said. ‘This path is treacherous and may take long. My  kingdom awaits me and to them I cannot abandon. The king and queen  perchance would not approve. For hair of purple you have, you know.’

Tears shone in her eyes as he mounted and turned. His back towards her as  he rode away into the moonlight.

The dream faded and changed.

She raised her gaze and looked around. In a Little Italy restaurant she  sat alone. Turning her head, she saw him hailing a cab, get in and pull  away into the dark night.

~~*~~*alternate ending*~~*~~

But this warrior’s heart was filled with courage and fire. He tied his  steed and stepped into the river. As he walked, the rocks pushed up under  his feet creating a bridge.

Reaching the shore he knelt down before her.

‘My beloved’, he said. ‘Love’s gift I cannot deny. Dragons I can fight,  if you are by my side. I love thee truly, you will see.’

Her eyes filled with tears and fell like drops of pearls on a silver  necklace.

The dream faded and changed.

In a Little Italy restaurant she sat. There upon the table was a black  velvet box. Fire and light burned from the ring that sat inside.

‘Will you?’, he said. Her lips curved and smiled. Her eyes turned to  jewels, her hair to well… purple.

‘My beloved’, said she. ‘I shall.’