5.
when you truly love someone
you will eventually be called
to sacrifice something great for that one
if you refuse, this shows
it is not love
at most,
it is only an imitating adoration
called love
his determination overrode all sensibility or fear
a glance he must have
which the shade of night would not provide
“i must see her with my own eye”
it became a chant
that echoed through his mind
as the dark purple of night
dissolved to the cyan light of day
the tormented lover,
aided by a band of sympathizers,
made way through the tents
his companions were all young men
denied by humans or fear
the chance to love their beloveds
in awe of majnuun’s bold courage
they sought to live
vicariously through him
they had already spied where her tent lay
and plotted a route that seemed the least conspicuous
the danger of treading so deep
within this forbidden camp
was obvious
if caught,
a torturous death was likely
but each one was ready to make such sacrifice
“i must see her with my own eye”
the reverberating incantation
became the focus of his mind
his patience expired
his anxious longing torn and confused
such that as he turned the corner
to the path that led to her tent
he froze
the entrance open
a slender silhouette moved within
emerging through the threshold
she froze
the basket in her hand dropping
was this a sight imagined
or a blessing intruding upon her incarceration
their hearts quivered
eyes locked and invisible to all else
their language reduced to quiet sighs
and intensifying palpitations
unheard yet felt
he wanted to speak to draw a response
so he could at least hear that precious voice
which had been stolen from him
by the imposed separation
but no words would come
his voice reduced to nothingness
despite the flood of feelings
yearning expression
and she wanted him to speak,
just a word
to hear that intimate sweetness banished
to her memories
it could not be captured
in his distant recitals to the world
or others’ voices repeating his words
how much of qays remained
within the disheveled madman a few steps away
his voice would reveal the answer
but all there was was silence
a deep silence
their eyes frozen in a timeless stare
mutual slowing of breaths
trapped in the insufficiency of language
two lovers attempting to steal back
what was stolen from them
but the present moment could not regain
what was lost in the folds of time
a past now irretrievable
thieves must work quickly
to avoid alarm and capture
and something somehow knew
if he wanted any hope of seeing her again
that he must leave
now!
so he ran with great speed
but not before an arm seized
one of his companions
“sound the alarm”
a young man’s scream
fleeing feet and panicked bustle
men emerging from random tents
yet somehow an escape was made
the traversing of open sand
reclaimed the reign of separation
the lead rogue gone with his band
except for the one now seized by many men
and the treasure left behind,
seen from a close distance
but never touched
still no contact within this ocean of love
* * *
many wanted to execute the captured youth
but an elder dissuaded them
instead his advice was
to make an example of the young man
a public flogging of such intensity
it would reach any sanity left within the majnuun
perhaps such would discourage any future trespasses
transforming his lover’s fast into starvation’s denial
and if he denied himself to layla
there would be no need for further action on their part
so they shackled the young man’s ankles
bound his wrists behind his back
made him walk by foot many miles
through the desert’s baking sun
such that he was exhausted
and completely drenched
when they arrived at the town’s square
yet he would not abandon his loyalty to majnuun
standing with dignity to bear any coming torture
for his hero’s right to love layla
as a crowd gathered
layla’s uncle withdrew his sword and declared
“we are a humble people
but we will not bear this disgrace
we cherish our women and our youth
and will afflict bitter revenge
upon anyone who endangers them
such as this fool
who intruded upon our camp with that majnuun
with the intent of stealing away our layla...”
“no, he only went to see her...”
the youth was viscously punched in the face
his fall to the ground with a bleeding mouth
the completion of his unwelcomed outburst
“out of mercy
we will only flog this youth for his transgression
but the next time anyone encroaches upon our camp
with ill intent
he will taste this blade with his flesh
to yield up his soul
and that includes that majnuun
even if such bring us to war against as-sayyid
“tell him,
his son is reckless
and a threat to our dignity
which we will no longer yield to”
with that said,
layla’s uncle had the youth stood up
and then tore the shirt off his back
he was laid face down on the ground
a man holding each arm and each leg with force
layla’s uncle then grabbed a four-strand whip
and ferociously struck his naked back
the youth screamed in pain
and yelled defiantly
“for the love of majnuun who loves layla”
this stirred the anger of layla’s uncle even more
unleashing another blow,
more brutal than the first
another shriek of pain as the broken flesh cringed
another bold declaration
“for the love of majnuun who loves layla”
the uncle’s wrath was loosed from all restraint
a quick series of cutting lashes
as blood sprayed to soak the whip dripping red
the pain overwhelming, compelling the body
to scream
the defiant mind tried in spite of the torment
to speak
but could only eke out
“for... the... love... of...”
no more words
unable to overcome the body’s yelling agony
writhing yet held down
bearing the continuing onslaught
a body being broken
a soul crying for mercy and refuge
but no escape was present
only the torturous bondage of pain
when the flogging was done
the bloodied body lay in convulsions
as layla’s clansmen left him to be
a display of defeat in the square
❍ ● ❍