Hela Jenayah Tekali

I Sing to Myself

I sing to myself a solitary tune,  

Forlorn as the stars eclipsed by the moon.  

Across meadows, valleys, and mountains I've roamed,  

Chasing shadows, with scars that I've honed.  

I have delved deep into my inner strife,  

Embracing the labyrinth that is my life.  

Yet, who would dare to peer through my guise,  

And read the truth in my veiled, searching eyes?  

Whitman’s verses have kindled my flame,  

A wanderer’s soul, unbroken by blame.  

The void of the spirit, vast and profound,  

Whispers the meaning my heart has found.  

Once as lifeless as a waterless stone,  

Breathless, adrift, utterly alone.  

Now my song falters, my words slip away,  

The silence screams louder than I can portray.

The only refrain I now recall with dread,  

Is the searing pain where my spirit has bled.  

The stainless steel swords carve deep in my mind

A melody of anguish no solace can bind.

*About The Author

Hela Jenayah Tekali is a mystical poet and novelist from Tunisia. An English teacher at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences,Tunisia. She has authored 12 books on Sufism and Spirituality , and Mystic poetry. Halos of Light ( poetry 2015) , the Quest of Love ( poetry 2017) , the Soaring of my Soul ( poetry 2018) , Mystical Eye ( 2018) and The Song Of The Thirsty Bird ( 2019) ; “Metaphysics : A Mirror to Mysticism” ( literary criticism 2019) , Alchemy : "Another Name For Love 2020 ", " Dives into Mysteries " under process .She has co-authored a book on Indo – North African Poetry entitled ‘Eternal Showers’. She has also figured on several international anthologies such as Rain Drops of Love, Birds of Peace, Ambrosia, and Our Poetry Archive. Hela Jenayah Tekali is a thorough – bred mystical poet who was honoured as Most Outstanding Mystical Poet by Philosphique Poetica , an international forum dedicated to Poetry, Art, and Philosophy. She was also conferred the Award of Ambassador of Literature by Motivational Strips, another international portal dedicated to poetry. WORLD ICON OF LITERATURE 2018 By Khazakhestan. She has also been published in the International Anthology of ‘Woman Of Essence’ by Ade Caparas Manilah, as well as written the Prefaces of Muhammad Shanazar’s poetry collection entitled “ Voyages and Visions “ , and the preface of Muhammad Azram poetry collection entitled : “ The Canvas”. .Hela Jenayah Tekali has been the Managing Editor of two international anthologies : MYSTICAL VOICES ( 2021) and ETHICAL POETRY ( 2023) together with Dr Jernail Singh Anand as Chief Editor, she has alongside poetry published two novels : Invisible Grace ( 2021 ) , The Quest Of Sublime Hope (2024 ) and translated into French the "Poetry Cocktail " , a poetry collection by Dr Jernail Singh Anand. She has written a play which will be published soon and she is actually working on a third novel .