From Ashes to Ascent

When shadows fall, and the night is steep,
When silence drowns where courage sleeps,
A spark awakens, faint and shy,
A whisper echoes: “Try. Just try.”

The earth may quake beneath the feet,
Dreams may shatter, hopes retreat.
Yet in the heart where burdens press,
A seed of strength begins to bless.

The champion rises, not with ease,
But with trembling limbs and bent knees.
Not in triumph’s gilded gleam,
But in the midst of a broken dream.

What fire burns within the soul,
That makes the fractured spirit whole?
Not glory’s call, nor victory’s cheer,
But the will to fight through pain and fear.

To stand again, though skies are gray,
To face the storm, though blown away.
The champion finds, in every fall,
The courage to defy it all.

For battles fought within the heart,
Are victories drawn from a tearful start.
And though the world may never see,
The rise begins invisibly.

They are not of gilded throne,
Nor carved of stone, nor steel alone.
They are stitched from the fabric of endless fight,
Woven with tears in the heart of the night.

Let not the world measure what you can or can’t,
For the soul of a champion is ever adamant.
They get up, they rise, through tears that flow,
Not because they can, but because they know:
“To stand once more, even when faced with a great fall,
Is the mightiest triumph of them all.”

So rise, O weary, rise once more,
From shattered glass, to find your shore.
For champions bloom where they have bled,
In broken soil where angels tread.

A champion rises, not from mere might,
But from the shadows that cradle the night.
When the weight of the world pins them to the floor,
They find in their soul an unspoken “More”

And though the weight may crush and bind,
There lives in you a will refined.
To stand, though broken – this is grace:
A champion’s mark, a warrior’s face.

– Maroof Mushtaq

You Must Love Poetry (Her Response)

You must love poetry to be my man,

For my heart speaks in verses only the wild ones understand.  

In whispers of winds that dance through trees,  

And the hum of oceans that kiss the breeze.  

It’s true, love breathes beyond ink and page,  

Yet in the silence between, I find a stage—  

A place where hearts are not just known but felt,  

Where love is more than words, where souls have knelt.  

For I am woven of stardust and sighs,  

Of dreams too deep to meet the eye.  

In the shadows where the night sky bends,  

I crave words where meaning never ends.  

You see, I am a song that demands to be sung,  

A mystery in every breath I’ve flung.  

While love is a fire, warm and true,  

In a lyrical flame, I burn through and through.  

You must match the depth where my feelings dwell,  

Hear the secrets that no voice can tell.  

For I am not just a story waiting to be read,  

I am the ink, the parchment, the words unsaid.  

Yes, you must love poetry, my dear,  

Not in words alone but in how you hear,  

For to hold my hand is to hold the sky—  

And only a poetic heart can truly try.  

For I am more than a body, more than a face,  

I am the verse you cannot erase.  

If you seek my heart, you must know this too—  

To be my man, you must love poetry, like I do.


-Maroof

Must I be a poet? (His Question)

Must I be a poet, to win your heart?  

Must I catch the stars in every word’s art,  

Or paint the moon on your skin so clear,  

Like soft winds weave through the midnight air?

Is poetry not the light in your eyes,  

That lifts me beyond the earth, up into the skies?  

The way your smile sends me to a place,  

Where time stands still, and everything is full of grace?

I may not have verses from ages past,  

But in your presence, I am steadfast.  

For you are the lines I’ve longed to trace,

A boundless story, a sacred space.

I may not carve love letters in ancient stone,  

But I’ll love you as if your heart were my own.  

For you, my lady, are a poetry unplanned—  

Must I love verses, to hold your hand?

No, I have no sonnets etched deep in my chest,

But I’ll love you true, with all that I have left.

So tell me, my lady, as we stand where we began—

Must I love poetry, to be your man?


– Maroof

Flight of the Brave

In a world that whispers, “Dream small, stay low,”

Where shadows of doubt and fear often grow,

Stand tall, dear heart, let your spirit rise,

For within you lies the strength to touch the skies.

Let not their worries weave nets of despair,

Dance to your rhythm, unfurl your flare.

While they march in step to their own dull song,

Forge your own melody, where you belong.

Do not let them steal your grace;

You hold the key to your own place.

What they deem impossible, let it soar;

Your spirit yearns for something more.

Your dreams are the stars that light up the night,

Each one a sign, a glimpse of your might.

When they label you foolish or say you are not wise,

Remember, a dreamer must learn how to fly.

No one can confine you nor dim your flame;

You are the author of your own sweet name.

They may not see visions painted in your heart,

But you hold the brush; it’s your world to impart.

Envision the depth of oceans while they know of mere streams,

For every grand journey begins with a dream.

The brave ones who venture, who dare to be bold,

Write stories of wonders yet to be told.

Be brave, be valiant, let your heart ignite;

Even if they call you lost in flight.

For in the depths of the night, you’ll find,

Every big dream starts with a single mind.

Trust in your wings, let them spread wide;

Let your spirit take on the turbulent tide.

For a bird must believe in the sky’s embrace,

To dance on the winds, to find its own place.

Darling, you are never alone;

In the garden of visions, your seeds have been sown.

Keep dreaming of oceans, keep longing for more;

The heart that dreams big will be a conqueror.


– Maroof

Embers of Defiance

I dance with fate; in shadows, we collide,

It pushes hard, but still, I do not hide.

With every blow, I rise again, brand new,

Its grasp is tight, but I will see this through.

It throws the storms, the endless nights of gray,

I stand my ground, refusing to obey.

Each step I take, a battle lost or won,

Yet still, I fight until the war is done.

It whispers low, with a chilling breath,

“You cannot win, you’ll come undone.”

But I rise, refusing death,

To greet each burning, rising sun.

The weight of silence lingers in the air,

Its icy hands are cold, but I do not care.

For deep inside, my spirit burns too bright,

A flame that fate can not smother with its might.

I hold no crown, I claim no throne,

Nor seek to bend what fate has sown.

Yet in this fight, I stand alone,

And trace my name upon the dawn.

It holds its ground, stubborn still,

And I, I fall, but rise again,

For even when it bends my will,

My heart beats strong, defying pain.

Let it come with its twisted, cruel demand,

I’ll meet it boldly, with an open hand.

For though it fights, it cannot claim my soul,

I am the keeper of my heart’s control.

I’m not its victor, nor its slave,

Just a soul that won’t give in.

For in this clash, this endless wave,

I find the courage to begin.

And though I stumble, broken and oppressed,

I rise, unshaken and not suppressed—

Of fear, of doubt, of all that weighs me down,

For I was born to wear the fighter’s crown.

Oh, fate, you shadow, vast and deep,

I know you well, your cruel, dark art.

Yet still, I rise, I dream, I keep—

The gentle wildness of my heart.

– Maroof

Dancing Through the Masquerade

Life is a grand masquerade,  

Where veils of silk and shadows play.  

Beneath the glitter, secrets hide,  

And masks betray the heart’s soft cry.  

We dance in circles, lost in grace,  

Yet no one sees the unseen face.  

The eyes that laugh, the smile so wide—  

But who can glimpse the tears inside?

In whispered steps, we glide alone,  

Each soul, a stranger, yet our own.  

We yearn for hands to lift the guise,  

To see the truth behind the lies.

For even in this splendid show,  

Where light and dark both come and go,  

We ache to know, to truly see,  

The face behind—our mystery.

For who are we, without disguise,

Broken dreams and quiet sighs?

Still we hide, and still we stay,

In this grand dance, we lose our way.

Masks, they cling, and masks, they fall,  

And it moves, a silken thrall.  

Yet in the mirror, soft and clear,  

The soul beneath may still appear.  

Dance, my darling, let silence reign,  

In every mask, there’s joy and pain. 

This ball will one day cease,  

And in the end, we all seek peace.

But when all is still,

Masks are dropped, against our will—

We face the truth, we cannot flee:

“We are the masks, and they are we.”

– Maroof

Ethereal Fortitude

In the hush of dawn, she arises with grace,

A radiant beam in shadows, a gentle embrace,

Her spirit fierce yet tender, with kindness enshrined,

A treasure rare, a mind refined.

She stands unwavering through each storm’s wrath,

Her presence a haven, a hearth’s warming path,

A heart so pure, a soul aglow,

She emanates love, to friend and foe.

Her kindness flows like a tranquil stream,

Planting dreams in hearts with a hopeful gleam,

With tender touch, she lifts the weary,

Bringing peace where shadows once grew eerie.

In every tempest, tall and undeterred,

Her courage echoes, her compassion stirred,

A ray of light in the darkest hour,

She blossoms with enduring power.

Through trials faced, her spirit remains,

A wellspring of hope in uncharted terrains.

Forgiving hearts with boundless grace,

Her presence – a sanctuary, a sacred place.

She walks with grace, head held high,

A warrior soul that soars the sky.

Strong as ancient stone, unshaken, alone,

She stands firm, a cornerstone.

A warrior, she fights day by day,

For dreams deferred, for a brighter way.

With courage steadfast, burdens she’ll bear,

Paving paths to futures beyond compare.

Oh, she who shines with gentle might,

Illuminating even the darkest night.

Her journey, unwavering, a struggle so true,

Leading her home to skies of cerulean hue.

With every stride, she inspires anew,

Kindling hope with fires that softly brew,

In every move, her light does shine,

A queen unconquerable in her grand design.

-Maroof

Inferno of Love

In solemn oath, with fervent prayer,

Lay not a finger, dare not a glare.

She’s not mere flesh, but my eternal flame,

I’ll guard her fiercely, a relentless game.

For she’s my dawn, my twilight’s swirl,

I’d defy the cosmos for my precious girl.

Her smile, the sunrise; her tears, the rain,

I’ll shelter her from every ounce of pain.

In her gaze, my soul finds its reflection,

Her heart, a compass, my true direction.

Beware, my fury knows no retreat,

A vigorous protector, I stand complete.

In her presence, solace finds its nest,

Her absence, a void, a heart-wrenching quest.

To harm her is to challenge thunder’s might,

And face the wrath of my love’s resolute fight.

For she’s the melody within my soul’s whirl,

I’d conquer the world for this rarest pearl.

Let it be known to all who might dare,

Keep your distance, or your fate I’ll declare.

Her beauty, her soul, each part so fine,

Are the rhythm and rhyme of this heart of mine.

Let it be known, crystal clear,

My love’s vengeance, a tempest, severe.

With passion fierce, my love I declare,

Touch her not, or you’ll face despair.

Not just a maiden, but she’s my universe’s core,

In her innocent laughter, my love shall soar.

So heed this warning, love unfurled,

I’d set the earth on fire for my favorite girl.


– Maroof

Wild Whispers of Love

In lands where dreams weave tales untold,

There trod a maiden, rare, yet bold.

Exotic grace, her spirit bright,

With starry essence, pure delight.

Her aura, a tapestry of vibrant hues,

Kindness woven in each thread she’d choose.

He, entranced, caught in her muse,

Enchanted by the radiance she’d diffuse.

“Come, take my hand, be my guiding light,

Together, we’ll conquer, together, we’ll fight.”

Flattered, yet wary, she gently declined,

“Your offer, dear sir, weaves a deceptive bind.

For I am like the soaring bird,

Free to dance upon fate’s breeze,

To cage my spirit would be absurd,

And confine me to a scripted ease.

You see my wings of fire, my wild waters,

And crave to possess, to mold, as if matters.

But love’s not a chain that fetters,

Nor a game to capture and flatter.

Love, in essence, is wild and free,

Yet, misunderstood, as humans can be.

How can I surrender, and lose all I am,

To fit into the mold of your perfect plan?

Your words may soothe, but I must flee,

For cages aren’t the place for me.

You’d mold me to another’s guise,

Strip me of dreams that reach the skies.

For I am made of dreams, of passions, of goals,

To change me would rob me of my very soul.

So, I’ll hold on to me, though it may seem vain,

For losing myself would be far too great a pain.”

He reached for her hand, with eyes that spoke of truth,

“I cherish your wilderness, your spirit, your youth.

I’ll embrace each wild shade, each untamed grace, do not fear,

For it’s you, in your wildness, I hold most dear.

For once you’d conform, you’d no longer be you,

And I fell for the woman, wild and true.

For in your freedom, my heart takes flight,

In your wildness, I find myself whole, and right.

We’ll tread this path as one, my love,

Bound not by chains, but grace above.

In every storm, in weather fair or rough,

Beside you, I’ll stand, steady and tough.

Through trials deep and skies of gray,

Our love will guide us, come what may.

Hand in hand, we’ll win this race,

Together, bound by love’s embrace.

Do not be afraid, for I’ll be near,

In every joy and every tear.

Our journey’s rhythm, our hearts entwined,

Forever bound, our souls aligned.”

– Maroof

Canvas of Visions

Imagination, a divine gift to unfold,

A universe where reality and dreams behold,

Where limits of the real world cannot hold,

A canvas for visions, magnificent and bold.

Knowledge, a treasure to acquire,

To solve the mysteries, we aspire,

But imagination takes us higher,

To a world where the one who talks about impossibilities is a liar.

The artist, with pen and ink in hand,

Creates a symphony, a world so grand,

Without a pause, their mind expands,

With imagination, the endless fount at their command.

Imagination brings life to the page,

Beauty and wonder, in every age,

Piercing through mundane strife, a sage,

Letting us dream of a world without a cage.

With imagination, we spread our wings,

Our wildest desires take flight and sing,

All that we see, and all that we bring,

For imagination can do anything.

Let not the bounds of knowledge hold us down,

For imagination is the key to the crown,

A gateway to places where we are renowned,

A beauty that forever will astound.

All that we dream, it is real,

In our hearts and minds, it is what we feel,

Imagination, it is the seal

That helps us create, love, and heal.

– Maroof