The Stone – Poem by Nada Adel Sobhi

They gather round

Humming,

A faint musical sound

Clap-ta-thum

Clap-ta-thum

A lone woman sings

Stars, hidden behind clouds, appear

Others; parents, children

All gather in a circle of magic

In the midst of a milling crowd

The songstress

Unravels a majestic stone,

A ruby, the size of a full-grown palm

Breaths caught,

Hearts drum

With the ever-growing hum

Clap-ta-thum

Clap-ta-thum

She sings to the world

Of the living

Those that have lived

And those yet to live

Some make out her words

Some don't

She goes on

Uninterrupted

Untethered

Tales must be told

Her song hitches into a whistle-like note

Her body moves beneath the unmoving moon

Her pitch reaches its full strength

Then she stops

Hands raised,

She takes the strength of all who'd gathered

And brings it all down

Into the magnificent ruby

Its light hue

Burns into the flaming red

A red

People far and wide could see

A stone

Of strength

Power

Virtue

Magic

She turns to the assembly

"This stone,

I gift to you.

May its strength

And magic

Heal you.

But first,

You must believe!"

The women hum

Clap, and with their legs, ta-thum

As the songstress disappears into the night

Hum, clap-ta-thum

Hum, clap-ta-thum

"The Stone" is inspired by a scene in THE TIDES BETWEEN by Elizabeth Jane Corbett, an interesting historical fiction about how fairy tales can help people on a journey.

You can check out Nadaness In Motion's five-star bookreview of The Tides Between.