Dear Shahid

by Michelle Demers

In Vermont, where the year
has four, distinct seasons, you
brought your exotic

flavors to the mountain, and
taught us all
how to pronounce ghazal:
never “guzzle” you said,
with a hard G

forget the G,
reach into
the back of the throat,
            open mouth,
force air through
as in the beginning of chutzpah,

which you had
and shared,

face full of joy

            sing to me a ghazal

with chutzpah.