The Brother

Lifting his sword darts the wild brother

An offense before, now another

Underneath his feet the rubbles hiss,

‘The brother has received Satan’s kiss’.

A stray black dog follows the Brother

Howling aloud, calling another

A cloud of swirling dust becomes, breaks

Beneath the cloak that jerks and shakes. 

‘Set my house straight’, mutters the Brother

He crosses a lane, and then another

By the window, he stands and listens

Wielding the sword that shines and glistens.

Familiar voices hears the Brother

First a strange verse, and then another

He enters the house with warnings none

And hears about overthrowing the sun.

The Sister looks at her dear brother

She hides a sheet, and then another

But the brother, he demands to know

And like never before comes the blow. 

Struck on her face by her own brother

She wipes a tear, and then another

The blood that oozes from her pale lips

Is like a warning of an eclipse.

Times when they played, she and her brother

A silly game, and then another 

They flash in front of her very eyes

She thinks of them, and shivers and cries.

The moments of past fun with Brother

Seem to pass one after another

Blood on his fists and a mouth clenched tight

He looks down from his towering height.

A silent wish for herself, her brother

First a prayer and then another

She looks into his eyes, straight above

Looking for signs of mercy or love.

Not undeterred, stands the tall brother

A pang of guilt, and then another

His blood - sister’s fluent, flowing blood

His throat feels choked, his eyes start to flood.

In a softer voice now asks Brother

Like a man changed into another

‘I need to know what you both now read’,

His voice cracks up, he begins to plead.

Washed and cleaned stands the altered brother

He receives a sheet, then another

‘Ta-Ha’, he reads, he reads and he cries

The truth now flashes before his eyes.

When the truth dawns on sister’s brother

A flood of mercy, then another

The pain of the blow is now so sweet

The Sister smiles at Satan’s defeat.

This poem is part fiction - inspired by a part of Umar (ra)’s life. Read the real story at http://islam.ru/en/content/story/how-umar-ibn-al-khattab-became-muslim