The palm tree sings

By Tahar Hammami (1947-2009)

               I see the palm tree walking in the streets
                           A lofty one, with head held high
                                            The overthrower and defier

               Did you see, on that brave day,
                               the leaves of the palm
                                              as it made its way?

               Did you see the palm of the oasis
                              towering above the square
                      or the wounded, picking shot from their chest
                                      and binding up the tear?

★   ★   ★                                 

               The necks of castor plants bow low
               The squill bulb's leaves are folded

★   ★   ★                                 

               I see the palm tree walking
                      in the thick of traffic walking
                      in the thick of night it's walking

               In the thick of an attack it walks
                      into the sun with eyes lashed shut
                      onto a promising harvest

               The palm is right. You who forget!
               Cast off delusion and wear its dress
                       The palm tree does not cry

               The palm tree sings
                           with sparrows and children
                           with the waters of the sea
                           with mountain wheatfields 
                           with the lightning
                           with the ferment of autumn
                           and winter rains

               I see the palm tree walking in the streets
                              with the iron of the factories
                              and the produce of the fields

                                    Long nights and painful incidents
                                    notwithstanding
                              I see the palm tree standing tall
                                    I see it's not receding

               (1981)

Mohamed Bhar, "Ara al-nakhla yamshi"
(I see the palm tree walking).
Lyrics by Tahar Hammami

Alexander the Sleepless IX

Alexander made another search for what to request of God, and found in Gospel that the disciples appointed to proclaim the kingdom of our lord Jesus Christ had numbered seventy. And he asked of God that this same number of faithful zealots, capable of broadcasting the word of God to the heathen Gentiles, be appointed from his own disciples. And this too God gave him, appointing out of Alexander's disciples seventy who were powerful in faith just as the holy man had asked. 

I will tell the true story of how this came about. When his eight squadrons, arrayed in perfect faith, had with joy and gladness in their hearts been sending prayers and hymns up to God for quite some time, Alexander thought to himself and said, "Let no complacency infect this mighty suspension of earthly cares." And he returned to imposing harsh asperities upon his person, as was his way. And he convened a hundred and fifty noble soldiers of Christ who were truly armored with the breastplate of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Holy Spirit. He called each of them by name and said, "Brothers, let us test ourselves and the perfection of our faith. Let us cross that fearsome desert of the faithless, and show through our works that we believe in God with all our hearts, and not just in His word." 

The original plan was to go to Egypt, and school the faithless of that place whose trust was in [the idols of] their own handwork. And his true disciples committed wholeheartedly to following him as soon as they heard the plan. But the Holy Spirit prevented this venture, and the blessed Alexander resolved to quit the monastery without telling anyone. "I am going to look in on our brothers in the desert," he told them instead, and assigned one Trophimus, a calm and gentle holy man of God, to be their abbot. And with his usual exhortations and a prayer, he bid them all farewell and left. And then he took back off across the Euphrates River.

From The Life of Alexander the Sleepless III.31-2