Poetry: Ashraf AboArafe
O Guardian of Chastity…
Peace upon your heart when it tightens,
Peace upon your eyes when sleep abandons them,
And peace upon a head burdened by the ache of longing.
O Insomnia…
Leave her be—she is but a prayer walking upon this earth,
Hiding her pain within the ribs of patience,
Smiling… as though she never breaks.
O Distance…
Why do you harden a heart that has known nothing but loyalty?
How do you turn the night into a prison,
And memory into chains that never loosen?
O Headache…
Depart—her mind is a sanctuary of remembrance,
Her heart a dwelling of unfailing love,
So do not burden what was born pure as light.
My Beloved…
If the night narrows, I am your prayer,
If insomnia lingers, I am your patience,
And if distance wounds you… I am near with my heart, no matter how far the miles.
O Guardian of Chastity… Peace Be Upon You
For a heart untouched by absence,
For a soul that prayed in love and rose purer than words,
Peace be upon you… until sleep returns as a friend,
And insomnia fades… and distance is defeated.
