Amna Haleem

Where will you stand?
In that huge empty plane
Flocked by generations
Of old

The sun so close as
It burns everything around
Your sweat dripping to
Your ankles…
Your knees…
Maybe it will reach your chest?

Others around you cowering in fear and
Shame, cause
They already know what to expect

A small group gather you see
By a small well
To quench their eternal thirst

A few lucky ones gather
Under the shade of the throne

The angels standing guard as
We all wait anxiously for our report
All wait
Through the minutes
The hours
The days
Feels like many years have passed before
The Lord begins to judge

You watch as
A man who’s face
Was shining with
An unnatural light
Stepped forward to receive in his right
The report of his deeds which saved him
From eternal night
His face radiant, he shouts
“Come see my result
Come see, come see that I have passed
The test of my lord
And so knew
That I would stand before him one day”

Behind him steps a man
With a face as dark as coal
His eyes hollowed out with
Regret you could not bear to
Gauge

He steps toward his Lord with
Sweat to his nose
Standing in wait for his
Blow-by-blow

His hand inches forward
To take the wretched account
His left hand shaking as
His eyes begin to roam
The pages upon pages
Of every deed he sowed
“O woe unto me
I wish I had not read this account
I only wish that my death was the end!”

It’s your turn now as
All eyes gather to you
Which hand will reach forward?
To claim your awaited account.