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82 Hamilton Kaddour’s Kiss Laïïleh Allah! alone in the incense of your flowers I offer my heart engraved by faith’s own angel. Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my ear than the reeds that cradle (asleep) me in the flute’s soft music like a prayer. Laïïleh Allah! alone with you I feel so far from men and lament my woman’s spiritual power. Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my ear than the well’s dark (asleep) water that takes the form of a two-handled jar. Laïïleh Allah! alone with you I think of love which hasn’t till now troubled my flesh or virtue. Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my ear than the pearls of (asleep) dew which taste of the blissful kisses I’m dreaming of. Laïïleh Allah! I stretch my arms toward my shepherd who’s brown as the earth and simple as his word. Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my heart than this white dove (asleep) offered by the lover to his virgin lover. Laïïleh Allah! Let me succumb to my desire to be taken by you as your loving wife. But who’s that calling me? Who’s calling ‘Laïïleh’? O here in the reeds a young man takes the form of my desire and on his lips my name’s a kiss and again he calls me – ‘Lalla, Lalla’. Kaddour I have been waiting for you in order to pick the morning’s rose: you smiling at Kaddour . . . Laïïleh The sky is bleeding with me – he says it’s dawn as he falls asleep again in the reeds and rocks and on his face the heat of his desire seems overlaid with embers of quenched fire.
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Hamilton 83 Laïïleh’s Despair Laïïleh O Allah, why O why am I forsaken? O You who read in the hidden place of the soul and of the flesh, O Master see me, listen to my repentance and make my body whole. My feeble heart became so strong before the pride of the sultans and the double-dealing of traitors. But my heart grew more and more weakened by the shepherd who came to steal my body and soul away. O hear me Allah! If You permit that in my thought and flesh all stain be washed away, I’ll walk to Mecca on bended knees and take the pledge to banish myself for ever from men’s eyes. I’ll kiss the white stone Adam brought from Paradise. The Counsel of the Hadjes Divine Exalt the name of Allah! Praise his power! Scriptures Thanks be that Lalla Maghnia is pure. Because she has been cleansed she has regained her honour and is a virgin once again. You’ll take the pilgrim’s cape and go to Mecca and there receive the name of Hadj in order to continue the line of those who lie entombed. And Allah’s star of seven rays will guide you. But first, as waters wash all stain away, be vigilant. Pray. Watch and pray.

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82

Hamilton

Kaddour’s Kiss

Laïïleh Allah! alone in the incense of your flowers I offer my heart engraved by faith’s own angel. Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my ear than the reeds that cradle (asleep) me in the flute’s soft music like a prayer. Laïïleh Allah! alone with you I feel so far from men and lament my woman’s spiritual power. Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my ear than the well’s dark (asleep) water that takes the form of a two-handled jar. Laïïleh Allah! alone with you I think of love which hasn’t till now troubled my flesh or virtue. Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my ear than the pearls of (asleep) dew which taste of the blissful kisses I’m dreaming of. Laïïleh Allah! I stretch my arms toward my shepherd who’s brown as the earth and simple as his word.

Kaddour Sleep’s sweeter to my heart than this white dove (asleep) offered by the lover to his virgin lover. Laïïleh Allah! Let me succumb to my desire to be taken by you as your loving wife. But who’s that calling me? Who’s calling ‘Laïïleh’? O here in the reeds a young man takes the form of my desire and on his lips my name’s a kiss and again he calls me – ‘Lalla, Lalla’. Kaddour I have been waiting for you in order to pick the morning’s rose: you smiling at Kaddour . . . Laïïleh The sky is bleeding with me – he says it’s dawn as he falls asleep again in the reeds and rocks and on his face the heat of his desire seems overlaid with embers of quenched fire.

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