In the Library of Love

The Library of Love

I wandered into the Library of Love,

And what a strange collection

That Love possesses,

For in all its cabinets and shelves

Are filled with books

All embossed by the singular title of

“Ahad & Ahmad”

I have been honoured with the permission

To open and read many

Although there is still

A mountain of books

Yet to be read.

In one book

I found an illustration

Of my mother,

In another I read the life of

My paternal grandfather,

In one giant book I became

Enamoured with the Angels,

And in the next I studied

The map of Hallaj’s heart.

In a colourful tome I was

Educated in the stories of

The People of God,

And their names were

Both Muslims and

Non-muslims.

I became acquainted with Raj,

Amir, John, Karen, Martin,

William and Maria.

In the donors' list

Of the Library I found

The names of the people

Who came to donate

Their own books… and

Their names were

Ominously familiar to me -

Rumi, Ruzbihan,

Abdul Qader Geylani,

Ibnu Arabi…

Pax Taufiqa