The Hejaz Line

'Twas the blazing Saudi Summer of 1980 -
52c in the shade in Tabuk
and no rain now for two full years.

But who needs rain
when wells a'plenty
built that ancient city?

Pity not the hot
for they have got
the lifeblood of the desert.

Garrison city now
and garrison city then
before oil
and amalgamated tribes.

A city of scribes
traders
Bedouin nomads
and Bedouin warriors
with impregnable fort
guarding the market
and the Hejaz Line
linking Damascus
to
Mecca
with Tabuk
the halfway point.

And 100 miles North?

Aqaba and Wadi Rhum
where Lawrence of Arabia
built a New Nation -
his Own Creation -
from out of a dream
when all seemed lost
to the Turks.

What works,
what schemes,
what daring-do
to forge anew
a People
from
the scattered
tatters
of rag-tag
ancient enemies.

He did it by killing
the Hejaz Line
at Halat Ammar
and many Turks in the bargain
as he cut their supply route
before routing them
from Aqaba too.

And in the blazing Summer of 1980 -
52c in the shade
and no rain now for two full years -
us wannabe heroes,
treading in the footsteps
of Lawrence himself,
took it upon ourselves
to chisel off the fire-door
from his most famous train
that hardly ever is wet by rain
so has never rusted
and we hung the door
in our Clubhouse Bar in Tabuk
and saluted him
with home-made gin.


Photo by Gerhard Henrich from this website


Photo by Gerhard Henrich from this website.