River Nile played the 'ud

For his love child

The Atbara

And on the shores of Suakin

ImmortalYemen's golden breath

Rose like a sun of francincense

Above the Nubian desert

That reached out in its longing

For the pearl-like eyes

Of Najd and Hejaz

Wide was the circuit

Of the Red Sea's rearing hand

Tot Anh

His rough callussed palm marked

By toil and ardour

With a rich sweeping gesture

Called man, the traveller

To his fires

And housed him

In his shade

Love then

Was a white sail

That spanned

All the land

Its soil was stainless

Sweet and pure

As camel milk

Enchanted warmth

Bore souls in abundance

And light

That was a barque accross the skies

Today

As love lies

In the chains

Of possession

Blood-coloured tears

Drench the dark heart's

Blue veins

Which errupted with suffering

And flooded the land

With wounds that are hidden

Behind laughter

With laments

That unleashed its songs

And with memories to which

The dawning age took refuge

To be borne

In its dances

Like in a well

So deeply concealed

That it shall not be

Submerged

The earth's tender skin

Cracks

Under the tearing step

Of heavy boots

Her children turned

Soldiers

Just a day after birth

And what

Shall I write

Of the dark continent?

Tongue-tied

Letter-bound

I ask

Too many questions

Awaiting finality

I ask eternity

Shyly:

Shall your heart

Memorise

This day?

"A bleached bone

In the sun"

Faituri said

Two dead doves

In my grave

And the undying

African night