I stand gazing at this new dawn… and look to the rose of my eyes
The holder of my very heart… with no hands he reached his demise
* * *
Abbas, O’ Abbas
* * *
I stand as fire surrounds me… and running between it children
My sight inclined to your beauty… gazes at a body left torn
I see your demised eyes gaze back… longing to protect your women
This gaze, my demised brother
Breaks even death’s barrier
Hearts inclined to each other
Whilst your sword longs to protect me… to be soothed by you longs my cries
* * *
When you left to bring us water… my hand within your hand you held
Your height, a barrier, guards me… beautiful, and me it shields
Shields against the eyes of men… their gazes to your will yield
Look how beautiful you are
Sight catches you from afar
To this camp our watchtower
Your height grows but with each foot… your virtues they never subside
* * *
I stand watching upon this rise… and your banner I see it fall
With it falls my heart and my hope… my very soul, being and all
He who now sleeps upon the dust… who was once over us so tall
Sleeps with his protective heart
Whilst our screams tear it apart
In Hussain’s arms he departs
This moon lies a deepened crater… whilst watches the moon in the skies
* * *
My eyes gazed upon his return… alone Hussain with tears flowing
A sight that ended my heart-beat… erased my soul from existing
To us cruelty is veiled no more… when once covered us angel’s wings
He who shaded all evil
To these children a veil
Bewilderment their tears tell
‘O’ aunty what is this cruelty? As crashes on us evil’s tides’
* * *
I stood upon this rise watching… as our brother lay a torn man
Washed by the blood of his own wounds… I can’t look but all these swords can
I saw to him Shimr running… and toward our beloved I ran
‘Do not touch this purest neck
Sin upon it not one speck
Already my soul a wreck’
O’ Abbas death was kind to you
But I saw Hussain’s head arise
* * *
Between fire these children run… as if they run on shattered glass
Whilst your silence was once golden… with these screams it sits stained and brass
These orphans when faced with danger… were taught to scream help us Abbas
Come to us O’ our uncle
Down us tears and blood trickle
With our clothing men meddle
He who wants us to stay hidden… when now within death’s shroud he hides
* * *
You rest by the river thirsty… whilst thirsty we walk on desert
The soles of our feet burned, scolded… only your cut hands would comfort
Your eye once the one eye on us… when at night you’d stay up, alert
Your hand gripped upon your sword
Alert toward sound and word
Any whisper of hurt poured
No more does an arrow guard us… and we’re targeted from all sides
* * *
Your courage lives on in my voice… and I spoke it in Yazid’s court
Your sweet speech that once made us cry… from it’s beauty, these men I taught
For this is the tongue of Zahra… and for years with it we have fought
I used it to tell the world
That from your horse you were hurled
As arrows on you hailed
And each arrow that pierced your skin… pierced my heart, yet still they reside
* * *
(London – 28/02/11)