39.
majnuun and his family of beasts
sat upon the slanted plain of a mountain
abiding in the resonance of peace
that pervaded their collective solitude
overlooking the distance,
he noticed a plume of dust approaching
the obscuring dust
dissolved upon the grass valley below
to reveal a human figure
riding upon a horse
the speedy run slowed to an inclining trot
until the steepness of the grassy terrain
brought the creature to a stop
with a series of agitated neighs
the rider dismounted
continuing the rhythm of his approach
at the slower pace of his feet
his measured and delicate steps
gave the first indication that he was old
as he huffed and puffed up the mountain
majnuun was reminded of another encounter
he had with a rider
the one who stabbed his soul with hurting words
before reversing course to balm it with salve
but this time majnuun was not alone
so this rider better beware
although he would not unleash his animals
upon another in anger
if he swooned
he could not stay their retaliation
as the old man neared
the animals became ready to attack
but majnuun lifted his hand to calm them
he then approached the fatigued man
there was a gentle grace woven into the wrinkles
of his face
he looked eager to talk
as he sought to recover his breaths
but majnuun was the host in this outdoor residence
therefore, the first words were his to be spoke
“sir, this treacherous slope leads to no destination
and being strangers
there is no friendship that warrants you to visit me
so what brings you to my abode
and let me warn,
my companions are already wary of your presence
and i cannot assure their restraint
if they feel i am being threatened or harmed”
the old man replied,
“you are the one i seek
according to the tales the people speak
for who else can walk among
lions, panthers, and wolves
as if they are house pets
i come with the favor of good news
a private gift from your beloved
straight from her,
which no other eyes have been audience to
i am only the intermediary
will you allow me to present it to you”
majnuun’s face was alight with beaming joy
“what is your delay”
“let me say first how this came to be
for this too is part of the delivery
“not yet has a full week passed
since i found her crying alone in a secluded garden
drowning in melancholy
yet her beauty remained untarnished
as if the beauty of the garden
was radiating from her...”
“that is my layla”
“but there she was
crying such solemn tears
that they felled the walls of my heart
so i asked her why was she crying
state the reason for such despair
and for a moment,
there seemed to be
a glimpse of relief within her grief
as if she would finally be able to speak
of a burden
that had been hanging her head low
for far too long
“she said:
i have no one to bear my confessions
and honorable secrecy does not make
sweet my pains
i once was a girl named layla
but now i am a woman imprisoned in an asylum
with a husband as my warden
in a cell of isolation
which forbids the one i wish to visit me
“i have become madder than a million majnuuns
as a man,
he is allowed to roam free with his torments
and sing his verses to become the songs of the land
but as a woman in this age
can i do the same and retain any semblance of honor
if i could,
i would escape my sufferings
and endure the penance of exile in the desert
“yet my constitution is frail
i know not that my body could survive
the brutality of the burning sands
but the longings of my heart
transverse them every night
wondering
where does he stay
and with whom
how does he occupy his time
has he completely become a majnuun
or does the qays who fell in love with me
hide somewhere within him
awaiting a date of fate on which to emerge
so many questions and curiosities
that can only be quelled by my seeing him
why that can grant me
a peaceful satisfaction
that will eviscerate my worries
and longing curiosity
“oh sir, if you have seen him
let what you saw be my sight
relate to me anything and everything
you know about him
for the sake of love”
majnuun melted within a stillness
that struggled to uphold his body
but the old man could sense the hunger
of the lover’s soul
so he continued
despite the awkward gaze upon majnuun’s face
“those were her words to me
and although this is our first encounter
i told her of the people’s account of you
for what greater legend exists now
throughout arabia
than the tales of majnuun
yet very little of what is said about you
penetrates her isolation
and when i spoke some of the poems
attributed to you
her body shook in silence
before evoking a stream of tears
that refused to end
and i swore i could hear
within her indecipherable mumbles
a prayer that you not feel too alone
not only in the midst of being denied her hand
but in also losing your father
and your connection to your clan
“she had me swear to return to that same spot
the very next day
and when i did
she was dressed in a robe of mourning
she then placed this in my hand...”
the old man reached into his bag
and pulled out a folded papyrus
bound by a wax seal
the old man kissed the letter
and extended it toward majnuun
who froze at the sight of it
he was entranced
by the perfume scent upon it
and then
as his fingers received it
a madness possessed him
his body was thrust into raging seizures
within which he tore the clothing from his body
he twirled violently
with uncontrolled force
at an unrelenting and increasing pace
until he dropped
frozen
in an unaccountable frenzy
yet that letter
was still
within his finger’s grasp
his excitement slowly diminished enough
for him to remove the letter’s seal
to open...
❍ ● ❍