Lines Composed While Driving on Shaikh Zayed Road



Like Alice’s Wonderland,

Shaikh Zayed Road enchants me;

A magical world comes alive

As dusk falls;

Lights glitter and shine

Illuminating the entire stretch

That is spread out in front of me

As if welcoming me with

A typical Arab hospitality;

My car runs at 120mph

And I hardly realise it

So smooth and silken the road is,

Amidst the stately fancy buildings

Towering above all is the Burj,

It stands out, unique in its splendour,

And above it, the incandescent moon

Casts a rosy glow making the atmosphere

Dreamier, fairy-like,

My car zips through the road;                                                                        

On either side, the steady rhythm of traffic

Plays on like the classical music of the past;

I wonder at the transformation, and,

Shake my head in disbelief,

That, not in the too distant past,

Camels trod on the same road;

I catch a glimpse of the great soul,

Shaikh Zayed’s hoarding flashes by

And out of sheer respect, automatically,

My car slows down a wee bit.

The thoughtful gaze of Shaikh Zayed

Stays in my mind a long while,

Much after I’ve finished the mesmerising drive.


                -NZ

11.9.2019

BN: 124

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