I often say I’m grateful but I think
The act of saying so acts like a charm
See all I want to say is that I’m glad
But “gratitude” can ward away the harm
If I were truly grateful for a thing
I’d fall upon my face and offer thanks
I wouldn’t find the time or rhyme to bring
Myself to publicize the sentiment
But on and on I go about how kind
The Lord has been to me in every way
While I am, simply said, out of my mind
With happiness, but don’t know how to say
I’m just a self-absorbed and petty lad
Who likes to say he’s grateful when he’s glad
Poetry
Doing Time
Let this world be your prison
And time be your friend
Who reminds you your time
Is nearing the end
If you taste from it morsels
Of Paradise, bend
To the dungeons of shukr
Khalid, once again
Imān: A Cinquain
Imān
Is a nūr that
You carry everywhere
That someday it may find you light
To bear
Act
Knowledge: it will get you
All the way to the gate
But you will only go through
If tawfīq is in your fate
You'll never know your fate though
Until it is too late
What you do is in your hands, my friend
And what you don't is in your hands as well
Thinking
Think before you speak
Khalid think before you think
So your thinking doesn’t reek
Of those thoughts that tend to stink
Root Causes
There’s a sombre note
In a root cause analysis song
To a root cause analysis
Of a root cause analysis gone wrong
Mouthward
Don’t put your foot into your mouth
To take the conversation south
But if you must, step in with grace
And mind the locus of your face
Shut Up
Careful what you think, Khalid
Careful what you say
The latter being capable
Of turning you away
For every single word by you
Is primarily heard by you
And courses through your veins to seek out
Cells in which to play
So shut up and have a nice day
Four Minutes
Freight train
Counting cars
One, two…
At first I thought it sad
That I actually had
Nothing better to do
One hundred and twelve
Got me thinking
It’s been a productive
Four minutes
Make it, Count
If the world is your Château d’If
Make it count lest
You’re tested with relief