Al Jafar in Sicily
A virtual journey.

This was the hunting lodge,,,
Dalrymple said …of Ja’far-al-Kalbi II

And from the olive groves…
beside the salt lagoon,
Two towers rise… from old Islam
Their sandy shade of stone
like ‘Pecorino cheese’…
Dalrymple grinned.

And there.. beyond the mountains tops…
The sunken garden,
cut in rock and symmetry
Lies calm and sheltered by
Sweet scented Cypress trees,
and Palm…with oleander in full bloom.

The Muslims brought sweet oranges,
Lemons and sugar cane…Pistachios
and cinnamon…
Ja’far brought poetry…..Philology…
and 700 cavalry.

The ghost of Ja’far al Kalbi
is everywhere….it’s in the peoples’ names.
Their couscous festival,
North Africa still lingers in the air
Dalrymple said.

Kristine Byrne . 6am 14th Jan.2021