PEACE AT HAJJ

Mesmerized,

I stare out at the river

Of black and white-

A free flowing

Current

Carrying away

Its problems

And instabilities-

Like pearls escaping

The tight confounds

Of an oyster.

The river flows-

Down the path.

Their eyes look forward

With determination.

Their fears

And tremor

Dissolve beneath them

As they prostrate,

Humble.

Their trepidation

Flows freely-

Far down,

Like Angel Falls.

The people

Walk with one another-

Uniting

Like magnets-

Two opposite forces-

A black and white

Mingling together

With utter

Determination

Saying

Labayk Allah

And

Allah Akbar.

I feel secure and strong-

My heart beating steady,

Like the calm waves

Collected

By shore.

I feel recognized

And acknowledged

In the Eyes of God.

Eyes that see

And know all-

From the rustling of leaves

To the individual flaps

Of a humming bird.

I feel my lips,

My body

And soul,

Reciting along

And following sync

With the rhythm

Of a world around me-

A world that has forgotten

War.

A world that has forgotten

Inhumanity

And accusations.

So I stand

Amongst them-

Their eyes gleaming

With light

And crying from the ever

Happiness and peace

They observe.

I stand amongst them

Not knowing the poor

From the rich

Nor the doctors

From the farmers-

And I watch

As all the infallibilities

Of man

Of hate

Of depression

Of fear

Disappear

Beneath the horizon-

Past the burning sun-

Away-

Gone as if

There never really was

Anything wrong.