SONG OF THE BEDOUIN

Give me the open sands, O perfect one,
And the endless horizons,
Rippled by the hot winds
And grant me the freedom,
Unmarked by fences,
To roam where I choose.

Give me a good camel, O precious one,
And the white fire of the sun
To guide me by day.
And the evening star
To lead me to my resting place,
My oasis of calm.

And when the sun starts to set, O unknown one,
Let me make a charcoal fire,
To banish the desert chill
And warm my heart.
And give me good friends
To share food and laughter with.

And if I must be alone, O my beloved,
Give me the stars for company,
Icy lights in my roof of black velevet.
And when at last I make ready for sleep
Wrapped in my blanket in the unsullied dark,
Give me sweet dreams.

And give me the fragrance, O my love,
Of jasmine in my lover's hair,
And the scent of oodh in her perfumed caress.
Let her arms enfold me
And keep out the terrors of the night.
Life is too sweet, I drown in her honey.

Give me the perfect sleep, O unearthly one,
After the hard ride of the day.
And let me wake peaceful in the dawn,
The stillness of sunrise chasing the moon
And the morning star away
To some other distant bed.

Let me pray, O magnificent one,
And give thanks for a good horse
And a falcon and my bread.
And, washing my face in the dew
I make ready for the day ahead
As the shimmering day begins once more.

And I thank you, O merciful one,
For my boundless freedom
And the simplicity of this life.
Keep me far from cities and bustle,
And give me the freedom of the sands,
This land ... eternal and infinite.