By Alia Al Shamsi
My story commences on soft silk sand,
When the first star appears, you know night is near.
When heaven and earth in darkness are one,
When silence reigns and your heartbeat has sung.
–
My people, saddle on camel, sought to find
A home, a shelter beneath rain showers of light.
Allah, they prayed, once moon god, please arise
A formation of rivers, fauna and flora divine,
Eternally blooming and never to die,
As their eyes lifted to the meadows of the sky.
–
Those foolish enough to say this desert is bare,
Prefer to be lost in their mirages and not care.
For those who wander the earth with questions will find
Answers on the palm of this starlit sky, outlined.
The views of the authors and writers who contribute to Sekka, and the views of the interviewees who are featured in Sekka, do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sekka, its parent company, its owners, employees and affiliates.
Alia Al Shamsi is an Emirati-Italian writer, photojournalist, illustrator and traveller. She taught photography as an adjunct faculty at the American University of Sharjah. She later pursued writing and illustrating and is a published author supported by Dubai Culture Publishing grant. She currently works at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. She is an advocate of cultural bridging and has represented the UAE in several international exhibitions and as a speaker at international book fairs.