Caravans
Metallic Camels
Languid tired humps
Dunes of moist tarmac

Urban Tuaregs dream
Of blue proud independence
Of raw-boned cattle
Of silky hides
Of doe coloured eyes
Of satin beds
In airy tents
Of rose milk
Of mint tea
Of sweetmeats
Of opulence
Of satiation
Of a silent oasis

In mirror-glassed buildings
The sun dies passionately

Hot Sirocco kisses
Sparkling concrete

Streets charged with
Discreet madness
Turn grey-faced nomads
Into a momentary tribe
Of proud desert princes
Of ecstatic believers
In the possibilities of Arabian Nights

Ulrike Gerbig, June 2007