In dire tribulation, who else I shall find?
My friend is that sanctuary and altar, I bear in mind,
Be that seagull conveying love and laughter…
Mr. Ahmed Farooq Baidoon, based in northern Egypt, Damietta, is a poet, novelist and critic. His avant-garde literary oeuvre was written in Arabic; namely, a collection of short stories, entitled: ‘A Human being but…?’, ‘Snippets Tinged with Savory of Oneself’, ‘Altar of Imagination’, more and above, regarding the release of poetic Arabic diwans titled: ‘Give me some slack’ & ‘Humanity Shortcomings’, alongside with two novel outputs. Besides, some literary translation works to build up a cultural cauldron with counterparts worldwide. Worthy mentioning the repertoire of English poetic sharing and epistolary anthologies through social media platforms and magazines.
The Mast of Friendship
A true friend, that crutch of hope to lean on,
A companion in time of hardships when no sun shone,
That basking gleam of spiritual raft,
An abrupt buoy to safety to confront mighty vicious draft,
Let alone a chariot to cross your falls and dismay,
Let alone a gallant fighter hand in hand for victorious foray,
Let him be a paragon of altruism, generosity and happiness,
Let’ m be an ideal of giving, integrity and longing,
Never let me down, keen on me,
Days tethered us, attached like binary lobes, jocund of glee,
In dire tribulation, who else I shall find?
My friend is that sanctuary and altar, I bear in mind,
Be that seagull conveying love and laughter,
Be that prophetic salvation purifying grudge and cruelty with banter.
***
Crafted By Lenience
Let go that stubborn cloud,
Imbued by wrath and acting out loud,
Race your moon shone beyond the shroud.
Loose lips might lead to an irrevocable gate,
Your filament cleft asunder by dint of a stuffed slate,
It serves you right to meet such a fate.
Wonders never cease when seasons mingle,
Never swallow your pride but keen on swindle,
Nothingness you’re in face of Beowulf’s Grindel.
A perennial shape of a clown tempered with waning,
A merciless being with outrageous fanning,
Wandering and fluttering with credulous planning.
What if you were an epitome of compassion,
A tribune of wisdom with a consolidating fashion,
If only the mast of friendship sailed across impassion.
Rise and shine, ye infinitesimal divine masterpiece,
Before abysmal failure of the grinding gyre without grease,
It draws near —verily good deeds shall attain paradise lease.
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