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Poem

Tarannum Riyaz

The Forbidden

There will be a serpent
          curled around every hair of her head
her beautiful eyes will be pierced
by red hot iron spikes
her soft limbs will be stretched out
          on burning coal.
After such sinfulness,
          what mercy!
Although almighty Allah
          is the ruler of every heart
there is a rightful master of her life and limb.
But she is enamoured of one
          who is among the forbidden ones.

THE FORBIDDEN

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The Forbidden

There will be a serpent
          curled around every hair of her head
her beautiful eyes will be pierced
by red hot iron spikes
her soft limbs will be stretched out
          on burning coal.
After such sinfulness,
          what mercy!
Although almighty Allah
          is the ruler of every heart
there is a rightful master of her life and limb.
But she is enamoured of one
          who is among the forbidden ones.

The Forbidden

There will be a serpent
          curled around every hair of her head
her beautiful eyes will be pierced
by red hot iron spikes
her soft limbs will be stretched out
          on burning coal.
After such sinfulness,
          what mercy!
Although almighty Allah
          is the ruler of every heart
there is a rightful master of her life and limb.
But she is enamoured of one
          who is among the forbidden ones.
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Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
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