ignored, calmness abhorred, playing into his handsWorld worse for that man’s curse, tension sadly expands
One copy alight, one billion alright, their power even greater
God’s mighty word, always heard, untouched by one Muslim hater
Long John Silver
With eyes aged like stars
In my mosque, on a crutch
Subhana Rabbi al-A‘la I whisper past bent knees
He has one and sits in God’s sight
On a chair wearing purity
And whispers too and smiles
Not at me or others but at the One
Who took his leg and gave him a prop
Bright-eyed adventurer watching
The horizon searching for land
Where rivers flow beneath
And upon its white shore of sand
He’ll leave footprints as he strides
Long John Silver
With diamonds that see
In my mosque, on a crutch
Rabbana Lak al-Hamd He responds in a mind full of gold
Beneath God’s words in a dome
While light stretches to reach his cheek
And strokes it with a mother’s love
As I echo three words and smile
Not at him or others but at the One
Who gave him more than he lost
White haired voyager gazing eyes closed
A journey stopping without ending
When he sinks upon young knees
And scoops living water from the source
Eyes squinted at the sun for the merest moment
It remained emblazoned inside closed lids
For longer than the squint then faded
When I turned away
Prayers climbed to You from a plaintive heart
You Oh Allah shone down upon me brighter
Radiance greater and without fading
When I rose from my knees
Eyes without a blink gazed up at a cool moon
My thoughts rose and brushed its ice-white face
And You Oh Allah returned warm answers
When I asked what all things mean
Anxieties sailed out beyond the ocean’s only line
You Oh Allah raised a breeze to fill the sails
And You sent me comfort on lapping waves
Whenever life caused deeper footprints
I saw fear in Leicester
Sons and fathers whispering
Sentries standing guard
Mosques and shops
Empty inside crowded outside
I saw suspicion in Leicester
Waiting eyes watching
Looking for the arrival
Sighing with resignation
Minds chanting prayers
I saw calmness in Leicester
Brothers as bars on a steel rail
Older steadying younger
Wisdom with beards
Jaws clenched and no fists
I saw democracy in Leicester
Permissiveness in uniform
Reluctant toleration
Authority manifest
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