A NEMORY OG BEATY

A MEMORY OF THE BEAUTIFUL BEDOUIN WOMAN        

(Bedouins are a nomadic tribe that live in the Sinai Desert)

A vision, a pictured vision:

a Bedouin woman walking

with her husband and small boy.

Holding their baby in her arms,

she was the picture of colorful vision

caught in the sun's rays.

A modern madonna was the fleeting 

first impression of my listening gaze.

Unusually tall; walking

proud and gracefully:

willowy yet strong.

Her face was beyond measure,

lovely outwardly;

inwardly.

She was unbelievably exquisite; 

this modern antique Madonna, with

infant enfolded in her arms.

Suddenly she must have sensed 

my presence, my feelings,

my woman's eyes...

Clothed in black...

enfolded from head to foot,

encased in blazing sun,

silhouette,

she turned and smiled.

I captured this smile –

this image of exquisite perfection.

She was the purity of happiness; 

the purification of joy.

Her presence engraved a portrait 

upon my spirit with her long, oval,

enormously slanted dark eyes,

hollowed high cheek-bones,

finely etched smiling mouth;

wondrously shaped, sensuously sweet

yet delicately carved.

Proud sweet feeling like a laughter gaze 

on moon-blackened light.

Cradled infant, man, boy.

I engrave her portrait upon my spirit.

For a sound-splintered second 

she returned, isolated in motion; 

emotional space; then vanished once more

from sight of time beyond life