Souk Ala'deen a Poem by Julinar Diab

Souk Ala’deen By Julinar Diab Small Aisles Over priced nuts Under priced spices Overseas stashes Expired Chocolates & Oh Fine English Toffees A worldview of Teas A True Sight of Coffees Roll back a few centuries To Colonized India Less divided Arabia To Ancient Turkish Delights Persian & English Treasures The lights are not too bright One can actually breathe Home felt organic mom & pop They way they used to be Decorated prayer rugs wait Skull caps & Miswaks lay Hand carved Maa’moul wood moulds Unique tools for Stuffing Squash De-Tal, boot legged T- Fal Pure Nablis Olive Oil Surprise Soap Next to the Ghee, clarified Samneh See the Henna and Hindi smiling girls On the box of Body care from a different world There are no commercials To intrude into your space But wait! In the Freezer Sheep brains! How old are those? Does your Feta Contain hormones? We do not know... We might not perceive and they Do not enquire; they proceed "Ma Lesh" The Olive, prized by even the youth Kalimata, Greek or West Bank, Gaza? Soft and firm hand made Pita Asian Nan, Baladi, Date filled, Roti Syrian, Cumin, Coriander, Curry Lebnaniya, Pakistaniya, & Arabi Jasmin, Egyptian, Golden, Basmati Filled wafers from Croatia & Bosnia Can be a risk: check for softness They have a no-return policy. The backbone comfort smell-inducer Travels from the back kitchen ovens Out into the entrance seemingly indifferent She is from Baghdad, Babylon Baby gone, Cradle drawn Cooking, Serving, Smiling, Working I gaze into her Blue-Grey eyes They are a foot deep and a mile wide They have stories to tell I can hear them, illuminating all sides She won’t complain, she hides it well Behind the counter and the apron Is a waiting soul, with a warm grin Come Back Again… To Aladdin's Market Copyright © 2005 - Julinar Diab - All rights reserved. Join Islamic Writers or Islamic Writer's Alliance.