The thirst has lasted too long

Raihana Yusufali

The thirst has lasted too long

I came upon a stream, like no other stream

Clear water swirled and flowed, joined and separated intimately in an eternal dance with graceful ribbons of light - it felt like a dream

My eyes felt the coolness of the mist as water and light
rose, praised, bowed and fell in a delight

Next to the stream stood a man, like no other man

The beauty of this servant glowed and touched the extremities of the Heavens

In my longing to greet him I hastened,
tripped and fell and began to despair

Like a bolt of lightening a stark realization hit me
What I am, I began to see

How many of my greetings of past
came from my lips and not from my heart
How many of my deeds of past
came from rotten roots seeking glory in its bloom
I felt like a worm twisting in agony with burden of carelessness crawling off to die a death of unworthiness

He looked at me

His eyes were like no other eyes

These eyes had seen the splendor and secrets of Heavens
On that special night, a special flight

I think his heart felt my pain

His heart was like no other heart

It was the heart that had softened the most ignorant of the hearts

He stretched his hand

His hands were like no other hands

The hands that had rejected the sun and the moon and fair princesses for the sake of the One and Only Master of his

In his hand was a cup

This cup was like no other cup

This cup had touched the lips that had whispered and declared a love A Love that in return became the Eyes by which he saw and the Ears by which he heard

He filled the cup with the clear water of the stream

This water was like no other water

It was the water of Kauther
A water that could quench the thirst, so no thirst could ever be felt again

For already, the thirst has lasted too long

My heart rose in the hope of the rising sun that brings a new day My overburdened heart spilled tears and not a word I could say

A tear fell in the cup
and the dream ended