35.
the night was aflame
as each fleeing step inspired an ecstasy of verse
the cup runneth over in all directions
over and over again
until destiny delivered him
a companion to utter this nectar to
something in his person
was now grateful to have an audience
“it is true that food and water
no longer sustain my body and soul
only love for my beloved
serves as my sustenance
no matter the varying extremes
my life is pulled into
around layla the night mine existence revolves
mine every day and night emerge from
and return to her
all else is death and dying
which i no longer fear
through the realms of death i move
in search of the life of love’s union
and its resurrection
“layla alone,
layla alone,
may i be alone with layla”
the companion merely looked at majnuun
the words, a foreign language not understood
but the fragrance beneath the sounds
connected the essence of majnuun
with the essence of that gazelle
in this moment
they ceased to be strangers
yet this was not the first time they met
his recollection of their previous encounter
was lost in the amnesia of abundant memories
all burnt to ashes within the inferno
of majnuun’s mind
but the gazelle remembered their previous meeting
how after it struggled for what seemed an eternity
its legs still bound, preventing escape
the burning of the sun
as a man came forth with a dagger,
ready to take its life
one last fury to flee became a fruitless despair
but then “it” came
this creature now standing before it
although it moved like a human
it proved to be something different
instead of being a partner to murder
it sent the man with the dagger away
and although the gazelle gave forth
one last failed effort to break free
it was this very creature that liberated it
the gazelle did not forget
it swore to never forget
such that when it crossed the lingering scent
of that creature
on the unmarked desert sands
it remembered
and after witnessing that scent again and again
along with occasional sightings of it
this became testimony
that the mysterious creature too lived
among the wild
a member of their informal community
how, at times,
the gazelle watched from a distance
this creature dig roots from the arid soil
or pull fruit from the rare desert trees
taking some for itself
and leaving the rest for other animals to eat
another act of community
it was more one of them than one of the humans
it became a welcomed member
of the community of the wild
what humans deemed to be savage and mad
was a cherished civilian among the animals
and it did not hunt prey
only traps, from which it freed the captured
this wasn’t lost among the animals
who came to regard majnuun as one of them
but now something more
emanated from him in this ecstasy
drawing the gazelle closer,
not allowing it to retreat
from that moment forward
the gazelle felt compelled to follow majnuun
as if the union he wandered in pursuit of
entrapped the gazelle to become a willing escort
and so it did,
day and night
mixing its footsteps with those of majnuun
their companionship churned the ecstasy of
his yearning
a captivating fragrance that allured the souls of
the wild
yet humans were completely oblivious to it
other gazelles that came to witness it
were mesmerized and also ensnared
such that they became a herd
who followed majnuun wherever he went
soon a few stray deer also joined the flock
along with lost goats and lambs
and even some wild donkeys
but the great power of this nectar was shown
when a fox joined the multitude
refusing to bare its predatory teeth
neither did the other animals fear it as prey
instead they roamed as a bonded family
indulging in the unifying ecstasy of love
they cleaned each others’ coats
and cuddled together like siblings at night
they lived in peace as honorable subjects
under the grace that crowned majnuun
after the fox came a pack of wolves
which also retired from hunting
after the wolves came jackals
then a panther
then a mountain lion
all retiring from the predatory life
to peacefully follow their sovereign in ecstasy
a humble king who only honored
and never oppressed or exploited
his loyal subjects
the sight of this animal caravan
amazed the human eyes who saw it
especially when, under the midday sun
their camp would rest as an assembly of friends
given shade by vultures circling above
lambs would lay upon the loin’s paws
goats would yield their backs to serve as pillows
for the fox
gazelles and wolves would lick the dirt
off each other
majnuun would sit in the middle of them
reciting verses of love to the sun
he lived happily among his family of animals
who loved and cared for each other
with the tenderness of the best of human families
the news of this spectacle spread wide and far
many sought to see majnuun and his train
with their own eyes
yet few had the courage to approach him
especially since the lion was quick to roar
and flash its teeth if anyone came too close
none could stand face to face with majnuun
unless he ordered the animals to be calm
and if, while addressing him,
a person’s tone or mannerisms became
too aggressive
the animals would growl and ready their claws
and teeth
displaying their readiness for attack
yet the overflow of ecstasy through majnuun
continued as a cup that continued to runneth over
even drawing birds to join this parade of love
a community of peace
one in which
creatures normally pitted against each other
merged into a collective oneness
without coercion, reconciliation,
or submission to circumstances of fate
instead
simply a willingness to truly honor
the unsung song of love became their bond
to fulfill their place in this moving orchestra
led by the conductor
called majnuun
❍ ● ❍