Election in the Timeless-Forest: Inspired by “The Book of Kalilah and Dumnah”

Election in the Timeless-Forest

Inspired by “The Book of Kalilah and Dumnah”

By Tarif Youssef Agha

Once upon a time

There was a forest that had been living in harmony

A gang of fierce dogs took over and had it under siege

A gang that was headed by a rabid skinny dog

It turned the forest into a trade object that can be purchased and sold

But, at the same time, bragged that it provided security and safety

It opened the forest to every trespasser

And also to everyone of its neighbors and even their neighbors

It formed a council it called ‘The Peoples’ Council’

And filled its seats with males and females who carried scabies

Then, one day, it decided

To have an election in order to fool the spectators

But it didn’t forget to place conditions so hard

That no human or even a genie heard anything similar before

It allowed the donkeys and goats to run

Also cows and sheep

It called what was happening ‘A National Wedding’

Where those with tails were the brides and the grooms

A lot of animals rushed from everywhere to submit their applications

Only two young donkeys were qualified

They were allowed to bray here and there

And their photos were allowed to be posted at the walls

But, soon, the fierce dogs bit and mauled them both

They scarified them to celebrate their leader’s victory

Then the forest went back to its past

And its rabid dog remained its Sultan

***

A Poem translation

(Can be shared without permission)

Tarif Youssef-Agha

An Expatriate Arab Syrian Writer & Poet

Member of the ‘Syrian Revolutionary Writers Assembly’

Friday May 23, 2014, Houston, Texas

http://sites.google.com/site/tarifspoetry