Shehnai Wails

the brother under the palm tree
and the one from the wasteland
and the brother from the deep south
they all pray to the same One

hey temporal, who is this 'same One'
Almighty Allah or Almighty Dollar
enquires the chirpy bird



* * * *


under the palm tree
they continue to face
new Karbalas

the southerner from the north
drunk on power (not love)
got the other two on the run

the bubba's goliath chasing the david
of the bedouin and the hillbilly

and though it rains
the rivers flow not
green remaining brown

like in-laws they fight
over the usual suspects
zunn, zer, zameen*

how the times have changed
wails the shehnai