In
the Palm Trees
The Al Batinah
plains spread out
flat like Amsterdam
between the sea
and wall of mountains
and the roads
weave like ribbons
between the
date palm canopies
where the
Pakistanis toil the farms
huge like
southern plantations
where water
drips like tear drops
the houses
magnificent
palm
trees spread fronds like mini umbrellas
placed in an
exotic tropical drink
except the
ghosts
salt water
roots
skeletons of the last cyclone
like grey
tombstones
in a graveyard
The Omanis compare the al-Hajar mountains to the human spine, dividing the desert of A'Dhahirah -- the bridge to the ancient caravan routes -- from the coastal Al Batinah, which used to be the most cosmopolitan area of the country due its proximity to the great civilizations of Mesopotamia.
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