Ghazal of Sayyid Ahmad

My heart is torn by the tyranny of women very quietly;

Day and night my tears are wearing away my cheeks very quietly.

Life is a red thing like the sun setting very quietly;

Setting quickly and heavily and very quietly.

If you are to buy heaven by a good deed, to-day the market is open;

To-morrow is a day when no man buys,

And the caravan is broken up very quietly.

The kings are laughing and the slaves are laughing; but for your sake

Sayyid Ahmad is walking and mourning very quietly.

From the Pus’hto (Afghans, nineteenth century).