Photograph courtesy of Atif Gulzar

South of the country, we stand together
On soft dunes sprouting tall green blades waving
at the whispering sea, across which we face East
Our garments flutter in unison to the breath
of the North Wind’s contented sighs
The sinking sun casts long diffused shadows
Onto miniscule golden fragments that cascade
and whirl and twirl and tumble with the breeze
We bow down before God on the shores of
One of His most beautiful creations
Our noses and foreheads greet the sandy floor
The grains embrace our skin as we arise once again