The Bedouin and the Merchant

‘You are Bedouin’ he proclaimed

‘Is this a joke, some kind of game?’

‘No! This calling truly befits my name.’

A descendant of Al Hijaaz

Claiming to be ‘A Bedouin with a cause’

‘I swear to you, I know who is who and who was.’

 

If one can feel the other’s heart

This surely means, ‘now you are part’

A city dweller reclaims her Arab roots

While merchants and Bedouins ferociously dispute

Now the two must Unite

Without reclaiming each other’s right

For you both are brothers

In a Land of Love

So please take this olive branch and holy white dove

From me to you I humbly say

let’s stop our quibbling

 let’s not betray.

 

I’m telling you this land speaks to me

I too am a part of your rich history

The tree, camel, Bait ul Ateeq, the mystical peacock and even the Red Sea!

All in her tongue of eloquent mastery

Her message is UNITY

 

Come, Oh Merchant!

Come, Oh Bedu!

Let’s cast away our broken hearts

Mend our differences, forget the past

Let’s embalm ourselves with the Oud of Arabia

And make ourselves a living Utopia.