Pain and Passing: Islamic Poems of Grief & Healing

Joel Hayward has produced another striking collection of Islamic poems. This volume not only expresses all the shades of grief over the death of his beloved wife but also explores the wide range of emotional responses within himself to her passing away and to his changing memory of her. These emotions sometimes lead the poet to question God and the order of the universe; we are exposed, like him, to a variety of scenarios from the initial diagnosis to the final disposal of the body into an 'ugly hole.' The bereaved one searches painfully, in powerful verse, for what is left of life's meaning: 'Your number's in my phone / I'll never delete it / I'll never call.' Yet again, Hayward's disarming simplicity evokes a religious depth that is called upon to confront life in all its dazzling unpredictability."

-- Dr Rafey Habib, Professor of English, Rutger's University author of Shades of Islam: Poems for a New Century



"Much has been written about loss and pain, but I have yet to read something that even comes close to this collection of poems by one of the most extraordinary poets I have ever read. Joel Hayward is a multifaceted scholar of the highest caliber, and his genius and skills are vivid in these beautifully written, deeply reflective, and highly emotional verses. Having gone through such challenging times, the author offers the reader personal insights and practical approaches that are refreshing and consoling, and which give great hope to the mournful heart. Pain and Passing is a highly recommended work of art for anyone seeking answers to deeper questions about life and death, but also about the process of grieving and healing."

-- Flamur Vehapi, author of A Cup with Rumi: Poetry