After all the smoke and dust and ash had cleared
A mountain of patience was left standing
*
The sky was empty while filled with just absence
All that was left of it was simply longing
For the stars that once glistened bright in its sky
Had all spent the noon of the desert falling
And the moon that once lit it bright was long gone;
By the riverbank its soul left floating
The purest were gone, leaving broken remnants…
And yet the mountain in its might was still growing
Among the sea of bodies she stood alone
And the Lord of Hussain she was thanking
*
A mountain, for nothing at all could shake it
Not even a day that left the sun shaking
As women wept enough to raise Noah’s ark
The flag that had fallen she was raising
She gestured to the enemy like Haider
As if his tholfiqar was still living
What sight, she turns to Rabab with wisdom
“At least Asghar’s cradle is still swaying
Even if we must live without our men
At least they are in Heaven rejoicing”
*
The smoke and the ash all cling to her garment
Much like the orphans to her are left clinging
The forearms of the most chaste women wear chains
While the worst of humankind are all singing
The most bearable hardship – the sight of blood
For what is blood next to hearts that are breaking?
And Ruqaya’ continues breaking her heart
“How much longer before water he’s bringing?”
What is death, where has he gone? For he promised
That chest against chest we’d be embracing”
*
The tongue of Zainab stronger than empires
The might of Zainab broke the throne of a King
In the courtyard of Yazid was vengeance
With words her brothers she was avenging
For she had what no-one had: she had truth
And with truth tyranny she was slaying
It’s as if Abbas had stood beneath her cloak
As if the Earth beneath her feet was rising
An ark that carried few but welcomed all
While all that stood against were left drowning
*
The Lord created mountains in His wisdom
To prevent the land of the Earth from shaking
And he created Zainab, so that when we
Are hit by trials are kept from breaking
For much like her brother, Zainab cannot die
In every heavy heart she is still living
Whenever the heart’s pain, it recalls her
From its ashes there is an awakening
For the eyes are a window into the soul
And beauty was all Zainab was seeing
*
Najaf – 21/08/21