Visions of Kerbala

 By: Sister Fiddha 

Visions of a grieving mother kneeling on the sand by
Her sons headless body mourning
For the head that has been stolen from her lap
The sand rising around her
Each grain trying to protect her
From hurt

The same lady appears outside
Prison bars
Wailing
Unrecognised by her daughters inside
I wonder who altered in her appearance
The grieving mother or the bereft sister
That made mother and daughter strangers

A small girl
Crying softly
Into her own enfolded arms
For a crime she did not commit
With a raped innocence
A fallen angel.
Her delicate fingers asking for water
From the man who murdered her father.

An old withered lady
Rocking backwards and forward
Trying to forget the baby
That is no longer in her arms

The daughter of Ali
Beaten down
Saying her prayers unveiled
Before the One who named her
The Pride of her father.

And Sajjad crawling on his hands and knees
On the burning sand
Saying " Father where is Abbas where is Ali Akbar ?"
That same youth
Looking with fevered eyes
At his fathers head
Being beaten with a spear
And his aunts unveiled head.

Qasims trampled body
Being shown to his wife
Only his wedding ring
Surviving his fate.

Um Kulthoom
Crying in a secluded room
Because she had no son to sacrifice

Hussain stumbling and falling
As he chased after Ali Akbar
Like a blind man
Searching for water
Seeing only a mirage

Zuljenah as he cried out "Oh Hussain
The Prophet's ummah killed you"
As he kissed and tried to heal
Your lifeless body.

Visions of Habib
Talking to Malik about his will
And Malik pointing to Hussain
"Take care of this "

Visions of Hur
Chastising his army
For their betrayal
After Allah opened his heart

Burning tents, a child asking a soldier
The direction to Najaf
So that he could complain
To his grandfather

Abbas's head on a spear
Refusing to move from the ground
Because of Zainab's pain

Ali calling out for a chadar
To cover his daughters head

Hussain calling out
With his thirsty lips
Is there anyone to help me?