First Light
First Light
Cold sand sifts the sunrise
as camels stir and snort
beside the caravanserai
travellers greet the dawn
Cicadas start a rasping chirp
in rhythmical polyphony
as zephyrs rustle oasis trees
the tuareg eat and yawn
Blue men sing soft as the wind
of their ancient berber laments
secure fine silks and pillars of salt
with camel leathers tightly drawn
Traders resume the ancient flow
light pace of beasts of burden
eyes peering out at the fireball's rise
over dunes the train now gone
Swords a-glint in long robes flowing
the Sahara's free men slowly
with faces veiled they set their minds
to the next step, and on, on, on, on . . .
Chris Hubbard. 2020
Chris Hubbard
Fri 6th Nov 2020 07:24
To Stephen (A) and A.S. , thank you for your interest in my slice of Saharan life. While I've never been there, the very first pencil portrait I made, now many years ago, was of a Tuareg tribesman, taken from a National Geographic magazine photograph,
I've always had a soft spot for the shape and majesty of the great dunes found there, and the courage and power of the people who make their living within it.
Magical!
cheers,
Chris