Between

by Plo

Posted to Poetry on 2002-02-20 13:49:00

Luxor – the place where history flows easily,
Some thousand years has settled along the river Nile,
Narrow bazaar streets, wide smiles of hucksters,
High towers of mosques and low backs of donkeys.
The palm-trees – green columns of Egyptian sky,
Karnak’s pillars – stems from a desert,
Tomb’s graffitti, stalks’ ornament on newspapers,
Sphinx paws above Hatshepsut temple
On the other hand…

.reyarp eht rof gnillac si nizzeuM
The cabman is calling for a drive –
‘Five pounds. Three pounds! One pound!!… – shouting desperately.
The night’s smiling crescently.

***

The desert – the place where history flows slowly,
Source of religions. Nomadic nirvana.
The mountains give you wide perspectives,
The camel’s hump – narrow cradle.
Water is very low, the windlass highly,
Neighbouring tops – big canine teeth glitter at sunset,
The desert wind strays amid reed shanties,
Goat manure underneath. The sand…
From a building-site.

Our ‘Ramses’ is calling for a dinner,
The driver is calling for return,
Music on radio shouting desperately,
Constellations are flashing anciently.

***

Big teeth in Giza. ‘Why?’ –
A question of a guide.
Temples of work?
Scare-crows?
Immortal cabs?
Give us a reason, Egyptian sky.
Between turquoise and gold, the day
Before yesterday and today,
Between milk-teeth and wisdom-teeth,
Time gives a reason to construct.
Mud-huts and pyramids decorate the landscape.
Both edifices are immortal. Time
Is on their side.

Egypt – the place where time flows variously…
‘It was nice to meet you. Have a good time’ – we are saying kindly.
The door’s crack. Touring-car is leaving.
Days between gold and turquoise. .elbaveilebnU


02.02. Egypt

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