47.
what unfolded on
that crescent moonlit night
in that secluded grove
hidden from the world to see
did not impede
the continuing sowing
of majnuun’s words
to foreign lands
thus, the legend of his poems and burning love
reached ears in the streets of baghdaad
among them there was a youth named
salaam
who found comfort in those verses
he too was stricken by love’s torture
an unfulfilled melancholy for which
majnuun’s testimony proved to be the only salve
“this man is a genius,
the greatest poet alive”
thought the astonished salaam
“a soul like his
might only walk the earth
every thousand years
i should go and study
under this rare pristine being
and not let this grace of destiny
pass to become unpursued regrets”
and so
the ambitious salaam packed his belongings
enough to support an extended apprenticeship
and left the familiar terrain of baghdaad
for the remote sands of that distant desert
majnuun was known to roam within
the quest to find that moving, discreet treasure
occupied many months
but the accounts of majnuun’s new poems
sustained salaam’s determination
it was not by skill
rather the fortune of fate
that his weary camel turned a bend
to see that famous caravan of animals
as he approached, the wolves charged forth
encircling the camel and lunging to bite at his legs
a loud clapping of hands
set them to sit with snarling teeth
as a naked man stepped forward
“you must be from some far off land
none of the people of this region dress as you do”
“yes,
but my destination is reached
if you are that famous majnuun”
the naked man gave no reply
only a blank stare
“from the great distance of baghdaad i have come
and for many months have i searched to find
the one who stitched my wounded heart
with such sweet verses of love:
the magnificent majnuun
“i left all i had
in hope that i may trail the dust of your feet
let me learn from you
not only what inspires your words
but also the life from which they spring
“whatever you write or recite
i will paint upon my memory
to study it all
and be molded by your living genius
i humble myself to be your apprentice
oh, great master majnuun
for the pains of love’s afflictions
have shattered my heart to pieces too”
❍ ● ❍