Hey, friends. Thanks to all who came out to the Zoom Saloon with Robert Okaji. As promised there, here’s our ghazal exchange and the invitation to respond in verse via the comment section here (or on his site). If you weren’t able to tune in today, and yet feel inspired to versify, please do.

In poetic spirit, ams

First, Bob’s beautiful Ghazal to the Night, first published in Eclectica in July, 2018.

Ghazal to the Night

The sun carries this river to the night.
Balmless flesh, lies. A letter to the night.

What folly, your mineral dream of power.
I inhale your bones, oh smoky altar to the night.

A stump is neither owl nor island, lifeboat
nor storm. This resin, a gift of myrhh to the night.

My email disappeared to emerge a year later.
Why? Remember what we were to the night.

Hey, winged smile, describe yourself in colors!
Empty your veins and pockets, donor to the night.

This cup, that glass. The song of empty bottles.
Casting off, Bob hands his anchor to the night.

Ghazal to Bob, in the night 

( I do hope Mr. Okaji will forgive me taking his name in this vein...)

Anchors aweigh, we settle lower in the water

every year we are blessed to yet bob in the night.

Pockets emptied, we cast vestments to slaughter

turn off laundry room light, let them bob in the night.

Emails disappearing, this century’s unvouched for alibi

electronic dog runs away, to chew, bark, bob in the night.

Neither owl nor island, fresh thoughts loom in memory’s murk

half-drowned in self-reflection, they bob in the night.

Your bones, oh smoky altar, are consumed like breath

like breath, their essence left to float, and bob in the night.

This river, carried by the sun, carries a boat carved with runes

these are Anna’s words, waterline eyes that bob in the night.

Now, friends, if you’re inspired, cop an image or a phrase and send us your own ghazal, or other form, and send it via comments to me here and/or to robertokaji.com