Samarra
On an endless journey
In a searing desert
I asked a painted merchant
To be my walking-stick,
To be my guide,
To be my eyes.
He said,
“I am the King’s staff,
Of acacia carved
And set with opals
Distilled from water
And passed through sand,
And emeralds appointed
By the King’s hand.
“I will support your steps
For my wood is hard
And my heart is hollow.”
I said, “Your hardness creates
The echo
Your hollowness preserves.”
He said,
“Today I learned
That every walking man
Must have a song,
Or else he is no traveler.”
I said,
“Today I learned
There is no bird
On earth
That was not born
First
In my dreams,
And there is no man
In whom I have glimpsed
Infinity
Who has not
Awakened me
In silence,
Who has not
Shown me
In his eyes
The oasis
I must cross.”
–Mahiruha Klein
7 February 2025
