A bond of faith
How briskly did the briefest time escape, No bitter thought, no tearful regret stains. Youth's golden thread unwinds in tender shape, And leaves us with but whispers of its gains. Our lives, a rare necklace by heaven sent, Mislaid in haste, still mourned not by our gaze. Manhood's firm years with weight of duty bent, Their hours consumed by work and cloudy days. Ah, still, we seek to sail life's warmer seas, And pray for time to mercy us verdant plains. Heart's trials, through sorrow's harsh decrees, Faith binds our hearts; no faltering remains. Thus duty's call we bear with vigor strong, For faith endures, enduring all along. ----Affaq