O Rahman, O Raheem, ya Ghaffar, Ya Kareem Poem by Kamran Qureshi

O Rahman, O Raheem,

Ya Ghaffar, Ya Kareem.

I have spent

All of my life

Shifting positions,

Changing sides.

And I often feel

That I have failed myself,

That I have lost my worth

Or what could have been mine

Had I invested

Prudently in time.

I feel I have lost

My place in the world

And not just here,

But in the heavens above,

For the very tongue

That praises the Lord

Tastes the forbidden,

To the heart's discord.

It's the conflict within self

That truly leads me to shame.

Why do I look around then

For someone else to blame?

Fraught with penitence,

I humble myself to your praise.

Shame on you, Kamran,

You're such a disgrace.