She sends out a
Howling for her sister
From the far off
Carpet of the desert
To meet her in
The bitter tea place
Made sweet
With the ancient tongue

Because the old leaves
Of the ficus brighten
Against the sweat
Of her lashed lovers back
We bleed
Into the papyrus and cotton

and they are saying
this is something new

Paint our palms
With the wail
Of the bruised
And hidden orange blossoms
Let that be our lullaby
When the red dust
Chases
And screams

May the water
Of the attar find our paths
To where we sing
Under the moist date palm
May that indigo
Linger even longer

“I am here in
Croix du Sud”

We sing beneath our dromedary’s sway
Tap, tap beneath our dromedary’s sway

Night eyes are
Kohl
And kohl

clap clap

I am singing with my sister
In the night so kohl
And kohl