The Dog Days Poem by Sadiqullah Khan

The dog days of summer
The drenched days of sweat:
The smoldering sun and the desert dunes,
Beaked sparrows, their hanging tongues.
Of scarce shade, back turned leaves,
The calamitous winds, warm -
Life hoards like palms preserve,
Moisture from earth, drink water vapo'r.
An oasis midnight-gray, in the afternoon
The gaseous ball, in fire itself.
The sunset hues, like orange wild,
Line of henna, drawn close to an eye.
The dusk is usual, gathering folds
And the night by full moon hotly blows.
Pearl white clouds, coquette with stars
Rosy fingers on the dawn's braided tress.
Bare-footed cold, the dew is ice on soles,
Who shall see it next, turn upon:
And what cycles of seasons, thou sweet
Nature, made of flowers, flavors and thorns.

-On a visit to Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan June 14-17th 2014.

Sadiqullah Khan
Islamabad
June 18,2014.