I once passed by one of the monk lanes 

Heard I a monk saying calm and slow 

"Where do you go in those fetters, chains?"

said he glancing at me, head to toe 

I was amazed for I wasn’t in chains 

But to fathom a monk, one needs brains

"I see no chains on me, Holy One

Might it be that I am actually blind

For who may dare to look at the Sun

Except for ye blessed with Eye of Mind?

So tell me O Holy One of the chains

For as if in fetters, my soul pains!" 

"Ye are chained in the chains of Desire 

In Court of Pleasure, invite craving 

Truly desire is doorway to Fire

And in Hellfire, shall be no saving

For the Savior bade to resist lures 

As for sickness of lures are no cures,"

"Ye think ye are King of thy Wishes 

But are nothing but a slave of them 

 I saw men that dined in gold dishes 

With emptier stomachs than men of slum 

Man had been made unshackled and free 

But locked amid lusts, loses the key", 

"People of the yore for sins were caged 

The souls of some, even there roamed free 

For just for Desire, Faith hadn’t they waged 

Faith not Desire made men walk on Sea 

Now free men lie imprisoned at home 

While solitary sages freely roam," 

"So free thyself of those hard shackles 

Desires in which ye have caged thy soul 

Free thy mind from envies and hackles 

Discover instead thy godly goal 

The Lord shall shield ye and heal thy scars

First get free from prison without bars!"

Written By:

Jalees Hyder