Sultana
I have known
the Arabian sea,
A keeper
of wealthy old stories.
Childhood memories,
Antiquated reveries,
She flamed!!
My tender grandmother.
Those restless endless tales.
Scarce that morning,
Rugged waves,
Desolate one morning,
An Eastern shore.
In a clement April day,
I recalled
"Ahmad"
As I strayed,
Climbing uphill,
Marking white abodes
and tempting signs above.
Finding sea treasures,
I lost the trace of time,
Inside a museum
of Omani Maritimes.
Wearied,
I sat by the spacious window.
Through bright glass
I watched her cooing,
A cheerless dove.
It was late!
Some caveat.
For she stroke me,
In my cursed corner
that dame.
Her gown,
Deep blue and rare.
Lustrous pearls
wrapped around
a flawless nick,
Glittering held,
Her delicate ears.
She aimed warning looks.
She played with laid
on the marbled bosom,
Weird enchanting rocks.
Shiny stones,
Gleaming fiery rays,
They blurred my sight
with purple lights,
They hypnotized me.
In medieval towns
I beheld them.
They were dark.
They were white.
They were earth brown.
The freezing
Northern tigers,
Drove them down.
They came home,
Bleary swallows.
They roamed
Beyond
The Caspian shores,
To repose or nest
on decaying doors.
Swarms over my head,
As I rode "Shaiban"
He was dead.
I ascended peaks
to achieve
"Arjan"
A vacant town.
Opaque Arjan
and soiled my noble gown.
He sniffed water.
He stomped rhythmic sounds.
Beneath open walls,
Gates of great age,
Wafted echoes
of hooves,
The stony grounds.
I sought brisk fountains,
Bereft fountains
I found.
I bathed in water dribbled,
Through derelict pipes,
Rustic and dark brown.
Near surrendered ports,
Distant Blue lagoons
strained my vision.
A graveyard
of maimed ships greeted me.
Strewed wooden vessels.
An old forecastle,
Subdued over giant rocks,
Spawning dull rigor.
As dusk wore
Orange contours.
In unusual haste,
Joyless ranges
took the aging sun.
Alone,
Stalked me,
Hissing ghosts.
Feline creatures
and owls screeched.
I brewed coffee,
Reflecting a while.
Then!!
Smashed me
eerie voices.
It rose the mist,
To eclipse glimmering lights,
Behind them,
I feared,
Shadows of mad demons.
Daring horns had the flames,
Dancing higher
than peculiar doubtful faces,
Who revealed themselves!
I am "Hemian"
The guardian soul
of mighty ships.
Who are thee?
Trespassing boy,
Igniting fires,
Irking secret worlds.
What you seek?
Traversing boy!!
Startled,
I answered;
Remorse,
Sporadic mine,
Ancient lady!
For I have ridden higher seas,
Scouted barren lands,
Trailing him,
A captain.
Condone me,
Now a twisted kismet
Landed me here.
By the sea,
Beneath a glowing tree,
At last!!
She smiled.
Showing with a hoarse croon,
The story of
Sultana.
He was a boy,
Eight years old,
She told.
He played with horses
and toys.
With ships.
Viking,
Egyptian,
Phoenician,
Venetian galleys,
Greek Merchantman,
Algerian xebecs,
Barks and brigantines.
Childish thoughts,
He imagined
Ahmad,
Tall merchant ships.
Stories, they raised
among them, Sinbad,
And she is not far,
Dim her lanterns,
Somnolent Baghdad.
At seventeen,
He sailed from Basra
seeking Muscat,
A taking port.
There,
He marveled at
magnificent domes.
Stone paved allies,
Extended to blend
with hazel sundry gold cliffs,
Towering high,
Nigh a thunderous,
Arabian Sea.
Seventeen ninety,
That year.
He saw the Rambler
at a Muscat pier.
Washington,
New president
of a young nation.
Shy,
Behind seas of darkness.
Destined virgin lands,
People famed,
The realm's final hope!
People descended
on her coasts.
Crossing beyond chancy waters,
In ships,
Sails they bore
or
steaming luxuriant ores.
Ere long a hearsay,
Her bright goddess,
Bearing a ceaseless torch
will land to greet them.
Years have passed!
Ships docked and journeyed,
Presidents and Sultans.
At last,
He was summoned
to meet his wish,
An old dear dream.
In Muscat,
At amble court,
He waited to greet
the Sultan,
Who wore
A glistening violet.
Azure,
His comely turban.
Round his face,
Amber eyes
and a beard,
So brilliant white.
"Saeed"
Who bid vigorous navies.
Who spoke like saints.
Lend me cautious ears,
Ben Na'aman,
Dwell in times,
Where kingdoms lost,
Hindsight,
Earnest cost.
Portuguese
or Persians.
To face them again
rival beasts.
Britain or France
and both advance
to seize trade.
Equating me,
A pawn,
Now we shepherd
to promised valleys.
Beyond the Atlantic,
Awaits a friendship.
Build me a ship,
Alkaabi,
Seaworthy,
She'll endure higher seas.
Cross monster oceans
Sail my boy overseas.
Honor Oman,
Drop a glittering anchor
in that distant harbor.
Sign in mine name,
A treaty of amity.
After this!!
He slept not
his garden nights.
He drained diligent minds,
Drawing ships.
Once he dreamt
cruising deep,
Where howled sprightly winds.
Closing in to spin,
Like fearsome distaff warriors.
Blasting a novel vessel,
She heeled,
She ached,
She leaned
and winds whistled.
Hurried deafening calm
revealed a flickering
beacon of light.
Behind hazy lands,
Upon dormant hamlets,
Stood a tall bronze,
Like a man
who bore mild smiles.
Glasses he wore
and some cotton shawl.
His liquid eyes
secreted golden tears,
They rolled
to turn and be
fire birds,
Hurtling up and far.
In darkness,
They be
shiny stars.
They resonated
mystic rings of bills,
Hymns in temples
when awakened him,
The Athan at dawn.
Shrewd, a serer
who discoursed:
You will build a ship,
In a land of shores,
There entrenched,
Mighty Romans,
Knowing gods of wars.
India,
You will build a ship,
She will never cease,
Drifting in aerial seas
of your candid mind.
Yes!!
A high legion of masts,
Sailing away
that day of December,
Seeking home,
The nation
of incense and amber.
Attending,
Around notorious capes,
He trained tempests,
He charted courses,
Engaged oceans,
Awaiting departure
and sailing gestures.
In a glorious February morn,
Ahmad sailed west,
Piercing
One
Herculean ocean.
Hers,
Were keen triangular sails,
Made to fool zephyrs
Deeper west,
Slept serpents rebellious,
Gigantic water archfiends,
He will arouse.
Ferocious children
of "Gaia"
Some,
Their width:
Five nautical miles.
Some,
Longer than
Egypt's colossal Nile.
Misleading dormant surface
concealed drowning limbs,
Heads and hands numerous.
Still,
Warmhearted gales
must answer his calls!
Hail magnificent sails,
Hail magnificent sails!
Beyond them ghouls,
She carved titan waves,
She slashed erratic waters,
She ventured deep,
So Ahmad can reap,
A proud arrival.
In a final April eve,
The first envoy gained
New York,
The cherished harbor.
Regal welcome,
"Friend of merchants
of Salim"
Golden gifts,
The Smithsonian!!
Ahmed rode trains.
He signed treaties,
Rode germane tours.
Another lively Eastern coast,
He explored.
Washington,
Castle Garden, Brooklyn,
And much much more.
August came and Ahmed far,
Oceans calling
and he must depart.
A famished child screamed,
Spoiling a beautiful dream,
Wresting his image,
When he waved goodbyes.
Noise filled the air,
Before I opened my eyes,
To find her there!
Still.
She approached,
Rapped my shoulder
and flying,
She faded away.
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