Song lyrics

Awakening color

📜 Lyrics

When I die, let me color someone's face with life, I wish I could accomplish this one thing alone. This desert of forsaking love, this thirst for your nearness— If permitted, let me pass through your memory. My existence calls out to my soul, When I walk toward you, let me halt, hesitate, hold back. Your beauty's radiance falls upon all the fair ones, Where, where should I search for you, which way should I go? I lived only so my waiting for you would never end, Now that I have found you, I wonder if I should die. Besides you, is there anyone worthy of such devotion? If I rise from your doorstep, whose home should I enter? I think, why did I never become your idol-worshipper? When I find you near, let me fear myself. I never managed to pass through any garden without this fear, Never placed my foot carelessly upon any blossom. This is the color of faithfulness, this is the dwelling of devotion— Let me scatter in all directions through this settlement. I burn in the thirst for your nearness, Let me descend into the river of your memory. My soul seeks only you, Let me die, lost in your beauty. This world is a house of wonders, In it, let me find a new color with each moment. When I die, let me color someone's face with life, I wish I could accomplish this one thing alone. This longing stirs in me in those moments of creating art— That like blood, I should flow into stone and vein.

💡 Meaning & story

Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi: "When I die, let me fill color into someone's face" (Exegesis) Central Idea The central theme of this ghazal revolves around "annihilation and eternal existence." The poet desires that his death not be merely an end, but that through his art and love he may fill color into the lives of others. This is a artist's wish where he seeks to erase himself and merge into humanity and beauty. ________________________________________ Exegesis of the Verses When I die, let me fill color into someone's face; oh, if only I could accomplish this one deed alone • Exegesis: Even after death, Qasmi wishes to distribute life. He says that if death comes to me, my desire is that my art or my sacrifice might bring a smile and waves of life to some sorrowful face. The purpose of a true human being should be to bring beauty into the lives of others. My existence calls out to my soul—if I should turn toward you, I halt and pause with hesitation • Exegesis: Here is depicted the inner struggle of man. There is a distance between body (the material world) and soul (true love). The stumbling in steps moving toward the beloved is actually the awareness of his glory and one's own worthlessness. Your beauty's reflection falls upon all the fair ones; where should I search for you, in which direction should I go? • Exegesis: This verse reflects the concept of unity of vision. The poet sees his beloved's reflection in every beautiful thing of the universe. When beauty is scattered everywhere, it becomes difficult to fix one's gaze on any single place. I lived only so that my waiting for you would not end; now that I have found you, I think perhaps I should die • Exegesis: This is a strange facet of human psychology. Sometimes the pleasure of waiting surpasses the joy of union. The poet says that now that the purpose of life is achieved, what use is life after this culmination? Now to perish at this beautiful turn is better. Besides you, is there any other worthy of loyalty? If I leave your threshold, whose house should I go to? • Exegesis: This verse expresses the beloved's uniqueness and the extremity of faithfulness. There is no other haven in the world where peace may be found, so if I turn away from your door, I shall wander homeless. I have not walked through any garden without this fear, that I might not carelessly step upon some bud • Exegesis: This testifies to the poet's delicacy of feeling and love for every creature of the universe. He is so sensitive that the crushing of a single bud is unbearable to him. This verse teaches compassion and respect for every particle of creation. This desire comes to me in moments of creative art—that I might become blood and flow into the veins of stone • Exegesis: This is the pinnacle of art. To become blood and flow into "the veins of stone" means to breathe life into lifeless things. When an artist creates, he infuses the blood of his own life into it so that the work of art becomes eternal forever.