BROKEN HEART—a ghazal

BROKEN HEART—a ghazal


To all I can just bow not.
My life can like this go not.

So far I effaced myself;
But now I will keep low not.

I must have destination;
I can swing to and fro not.

To a friend I can give all;
I can give in to foe not.

I studied all books of art,
Yet, art of love I know not.

I have won many battles,
How to win heart I know not.

Khalish my heart is broken
Kindly add to my woe not.


* A ghazal consists of couplets in which the last 1-3 words of both lines of the first couplet and each second line of the subsequent couplets are repeated as refrain, which, in turn, is preceded by a monorhyme. Line length in syllables depends upon the poet’s choice but must be constant throughout. The format here is 7-7. . For a detailed note on ghazal, please see "WHAT IS A GHAZAL AND HOW TO WRITE IT?" 


* The word Khalish included in the last couplet is the pen name of the poet. Such inclusion is a common practice in classical ghazal writing. Khalish is an Urdu word meaning ache or pain.


M C Gupta ‘Khalish’
25 March 2005