I am not a rider of a she-camel or a palanquin.
I am a mark on the path, I am not the destination.
My destiny is to burn dry debris.
I am only lightning, I am not the outcome/gain.
This poem employs classical Urdu imagery to explore themes of identity, purpose, and self-effacement, characteristic of Sufi and philosophical traditions. The speaker rejects the role of a journeyer or a destination, instead defining themselves as a transient 'sign' on a path, a force that ignites but doesn't culminate. Through metaphors of lightning and burning kindling, it conveys a profound sense of being an intense, impactful, yet ultimately ephemeral instrument rather than the recipient of any lasting outcome or 'harvest,' hinting at a selfless or fated existence focused on facilitating others' progress or initiating change.
wonder & existence · faith & the divine