Thousand ripples on the body of Nile. br Eager eyes scarce rest a while. br br Slowly meanders and circles around. br To skirt and girdle many a mound! br br Smoothly glides, the glimmers blind, br Prances without her soul's mind. br br Gyrates and frolics, spreading smiles, br decked her bosom in a hundred styles. br br Gurgles and intones her lamenting song. br Ogled and ravished by a hundred strong. br br Alien the vessels; that ply her deep. br Scant the tears; that a tragedy weep. br br Upon her soul, gaudy praises heap, br millennial debris at her bosoms keep. br br In her cleave thrust Sinai's knife. br Time, cheaply, sold in a festering strife. br br Northern scourges from south and seas. br Westerly winds wrench easterly fees. br br Her heaving chest, pinned dubious stars. br Thrown at her; not won in wars. br br **Zaie ille rakasat ala al siliem, hea. br Lalafooq shafooha wale ille tahat shafooha. br br To a valiant people, a hush bestowed, br Wishes and visions below deck stowed. br br Caged in an era of hieroglyphically cues. br centuries she awaits, her baked sinew. br br br original br saadat tahir br 22 July,2k10 br Islamabad br br br *Rakasa't Masr…. br The Egyptian belly dancer. br br **"Zaie ille rakasat ala al siliem, hea. br Lalafooq shafooha wale ille tahat shafooha." br br An age old Egyptian saying, roughly translated: br Like the dancing girl that dances on a stair, she! br unappreciated and unseen by those above and those below her.