One Day In The Bustling Streets Of A Downtown Neighborhood Poem by Mohammad Younus

One day, in the bustling streets of a downtown neighborhood,
I glimpsed a frenzied faqīr named Younus, lost in his own world,
His only language, a broken mother tongue, echoing through the air.
As he wandered, lost in contemplation, a passing Mullah stopped,
Calling out to him, challenging his beliefs with harsh words.

'Younusā! What purpose do you find in wandering here? '
Younus, unfazed, replied, 'Where, Sire? Where? '
'In the grave, ' the Mullah proclaimed, warning of divine interrogation,
In a language unknown to Younus, God's chosen tongue, Arabic.

But Younus, undeterred by the Mullah's warnings, found solace,
Amused by the notion of reckoning beyond his comprehension.
'Hah! Hah! Hah! ' he chuckled, his laughter echoing in defiance,
For how could he be judged when understanding eludes him?

The Mullah, enraged by Younus's indifference, insisted on accountability,
But Younus, with folded hands, implored for mercy in his mother tongue,
Pleading, 'Grant me the concession to speak as I am,
For in my language lies my truth, my final plea to God.'