O’ Hussain… I see you embrace your lover
O’ Hussain… Regardless his race or colour
O’ Hussain… By you no stanger a stranger
* * *
I see the day of Ashura… a multi-coloured Karbala
The adopted sons of Zahra… they became
A world where a slave African… and Wahab, the martyred Christian
Worth more than a thousand more men… they became
I see Hussain’s face by John’s face… his cheek on his cheek he would place
Of one colour and of one race… they became
No colour… Beside the colour of belief
No colour… Like a branch, one leaf by a leaf
No colour… Beside the colour of their grief
* * *
That day, colours of Earth melted… every colour Hussain sheltered
Their faith is all that mattered… What a day
By non-Arab, Arab would walk… no back bitten, no racist talk
The Ansari fought by the Turk… What a day
And watching this all, there stood Hurr… he held Earth’s treasures and much more
But traded it all – and what for… What a day
On that day… Each man proudly wore their culture
On that day… One not better than the other
On that day… Their home country the hereafter
* * *
These men, I saw shadows in them… I saw a Yemeni Maytham
And I saw Salman stood by them… a Persian
I saw in Habib Muthahir… the Arab of Malik Ashtar
Become like – as it would shelter… a Persian
And I saw Bilal Habashi… who was once from the Arab shy
Stand by an Arab and stand by… a Persian
John would cry… My strike a strike that’s ‘Aswadi’
John would cry… A strike equally as deadly
John would cry… Like Salman a Muhammadi
* * *
Hussain placed his cheek on two cheeks… John’s cheek to the other cheek speaks
“What an honour to be just like… you Ali
Peace be on you O’ Hussain’s son… we’re two colours yet we are one
Kisses by the rays of the noon’s sun… you Ali
I am black and yet I equal… not one white man, but an Earth-full
I am like – and how wonderful… you Ali
Your father… His eye does not look at our skin
Your father… Rather it sees what is within
Your father… Who he sees the same sees his grin”
* * *
God put race in sons of Adam… in races he divided them
But it’s us who added ‘ism’… what a shame
Racism burns away your deeds… no lamentation intercedes
You bleed the same blood that he bleeds… what a shame
If from a race you turn away… Hussain’s face from you turns away
Saying “are my lovers this way? … what a shame”
O’ Habib… Standing on these plains a Kufan
O’ Habib… By you Basrawi and Meccan
O’ Habib… How different time is now from then
* * *
O’ you who are Hussain’s servant… if you judge race for a moment
Remember you’ll face a Judgement… by your Lord
Servants are the teeth of a comb… regardless their race or their home
I swear they circle Hussain’s dome… by your Lord
Both comprehend and understand… with no racist shall Hussain stand
To you he won’t extend his hand… by your Lord
We are one… Adopted by the same Imam
We are one… Clenching onto our Master’s palm
We are one… At his help, extending our arms
* * *
(Dearborn – 26/12/15)