Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Inam Hussain Mullick writes


“in another age”



in another age,
the blessed Zamzam

had sprung forth

from the heels of Ishmael,

to quench the thirst

of mother and son,



today,

a migrant Ishmael

tries to awaken

a dead Hagar,



and even angels

close

their eyes

before the treachery

of humankind,



ghost tigers

observe

nature's sadomasochistic

dance,



what have we done?



birds

drift inside

my cloud cranium



I call your name,

among the desert music,



we meet

in dreams

in an unfamiliar

past,

I kiss

your forehead



and we exchange

moons,

our souvenirs

for lonelier days. 


Note: According to other versions of the narrative, it was from the strike of Archangel Gabriel's (sent by God) heel (or wings) that the holy Zamzam sprang forth.

2 comments:

  1. Zamzam is a well in Mecca that was miraculously generated by Allah to succor the infant ʾIsmaʿil (Ishmael) and his mother Hajar when they were stranded in the desert by their father and husband Ibrahim (Abraham). In some accounts, Isma'il scraped the land with his feet and the water sprang out; in other accounts the angel Jibra'il (Gabriel) kicked the ground with his heel (or wing). Ibrahim later rebuilt the Baitullah ("House of God," originally constructed by Adem [Adam] near the well, which is now known as the Kaaba. Hundreds of years later Muhammad's heart was extracted from his body, washed with the water of Zamzam, replaced in his chest, and filled with faith and wisdom.

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