The flame that burns so bright, this too shall pass
However strong the light, this too shall pass
You heap the wood upon the open fire
And set the world alight, this too shall pass
You work so hard, achieve so many dreams
A rocket soars in flight, this too shall pass
The spells you cast bewitch my ears, my eyes
Your beauty blinds my sight, this too shall pass
You overlook my faults, you bring me love
How much does love excite? this too shall pass
You keep me safe from every growing fear
When terror fills the night, this too shall pass
You sow the grapes to make the finest wines
The vines will suffer blight, this too shall pass
Your ventures will all fail, the world is cruel
When nothing helps your plight, this too shall pass
A nasty streak to kick you when you’re down
Endure the wounds of spite, this too shall pass
When love is lost your grief so raw inside
You hold the pain so tight, this too shall pass
The poet thinks his lines encompass life
And ever will delight, this too shall pass
by Rohan Buettel
—from Rattle #84, Summer 2024
Rohan Buettel: “I like writing ghazals, like sonnets, because they have strict formal requirements. There is a pleasure in meeting the challenge of writing a formal poem complying with the requirements. Then there is the pleasure of writing more contemporary poems dispensing with some of those elements (such as rhyme). As there is no metrical requirement, there is also the pleasure of experimenting with different meters or free verse. I see the ghazal as the equivalent of the sonnet form developed in the Middle East. Some ghazals in English work very well when they incorporate sonnet-like aspects, such as a strict iambic pentameter. I have always felt uncomfortable using my own name in the last stanza, so use a more self-effacing reference.”
