1. To whom the dwellings were known, as if
You'd not just yesterday come to abide,

2. Winds erased their landmarks, ages gone by,
Caravans passing left tracks in their stride,

3. That you’d think its dust was from anywhere but,
Ransomed with sand and with barren countryside,

4. A home to Glory or Beautiful when
In youth’s heyday they did reside,

5. Does rambunctious youth return in your prime
Or does your grey head just sorrow and chide?

6. Age dawned early stealing youth’s shine,
Seared by grief’s brand in the iron’s fire,

7. That your past and present alike entwine,
Dusk enveloping day in its gyre,

8. Henna masked grey so none could divine,
But grey bears no beauty or admired guise,

9. Glory left her abode, no more divine
O fleeting love, and farewell sweet prize,

10. The night’s starry cloak seemed to recline
Velvet unfurled, veils drawn o’er the skies

11. I set out to see what my mind’s eye divined
Though my sight lacked acuity and surmise

12. It found some resemblance but wasn't inclined
To know or deny what was there in disguise

13. Like a jinn you know when she cloaks herself
But when veiled can scarcely recognize

14. On a rug more dun than the sands that delve
Deep in the palm’s shade near the coastline,

15. Some peaks for guidance lamps always selve
While others no guiding lamps can enshrine,

16. I tasked myself to cross with one garb fine
Though the stretch of its voyaging none can divine,

17. Free the hands when the bracelets entwine
Lofty the travel though the roads ain’t aligned,

18. Milking her teat and udder until
As if doting only on her bovine

19. Rising above, fearing the sun might spill,
A wild thing wary amidst the brine

20. All night long the south winds trill
Caravans marching sans guide or sign,

21. Her curves wrapped round, stiffness gentled, stilled,
Like a heart ensnared by a maiden’s design,

22. The watchdog peering, prowling round until
With sagging bellies they proved benign,

23. Eyes azure when prey came in sight,
Their gaze like arrows flew straight and fine,

24. Till exhausted from the nightly plight
His robe seemed too sheer to decently line,

25. At dawn, lifting dust, tempests took flight
Brows knit with determination and spine,

26. When they crowded him, mingled in the fight,
Maws and claws ached their prey to purloin,

27. He shook his spear at them once then twice
Between threat and thrash they did recline,

28. Then he fought on no cowardice in sight
Mingling ‘twixt neighs, grunts and whines

29. Licking portals to pierce their bodies plight
Savoring what the virgins enshrine,

30. His passion aroused like a flood in spate
That in a cleft is forced to confine,

31. Lifting his head like the plowman sedate
Who by habit shakes a head sublime,

32. Batting insects, Crooking foreshape
With two furrows suspicion inbrine,

33. Morning’s light as if the dust in its wake
From desert wastes by hot winds maligned,

34. High on his maiden the sunbeams break
While he shakes off what the night outlined,