The Ghazal

It’s Sitzfleisch Poetry Night tonight, and I wasn’t feeling it. But since I only dedicate one hour a month to poetry on purpose (it ends up being slightly more, which I’m really very grateful for), I thought I’d give it a go.

Since I wasn’t feeling any free-form verse coming on, I thought I’d take a look at a form I’ve never attempted before: the ghazal. (Or, if I DID ever attempt it, I have justly forgotten!)

Last week I dreamed for five nights in a row that someone I knew and loved died, sometimes on a grand scale, sometimes on a very close and personal scale. The repetition of the ghazal, and the loop back to the same word the ends the first two lines of the first couplet, and then all subsequent even lines, indicated to me a kind of haunting.

A wonderful write-up for the ghazal is here, with the example being the incredible “Hip-Hop Ghazal” by Patricia Smith, and further gorgeous examples linked below the explanation. I love learning about the radeef and the kaafiya, and what a long history this form has.

Oof. Just the beauty and the provenance hit my chest just so.

Here’s my attempt, first draft, such as it is.

Ghazal for Dreaming Death

by C. S. E. Cooney

at night I dream unbroken lonely death
sleep long, awake and yawn, “phony death.”

joy is local, daylight dimming doubt
each good day I say, “disown me, Death.”

what sacrifice make to stay alive?
take of my flesh and clone me, Death.

I read Earth’s woeful daily news
staring from the headlines, stony death

in all wrinkles, age spots, gray-gilt hair
I behold my kindly crony, Death

breathing slow at night, self-soothe to sleep
down dreams, begone ye: it’s only death