Gaze upon the world

Jean-Joseph Benjamin Constant (1845-1902)

Le soir sur les terrasses (Maroc) / Evening on the Terrace (Morocco)

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Gaze upon the world

    silk in our hair, gold around our feet

                   the setting sun clothes our bodies    

           clouds paint the sky in streaks

    sister, why do you say we have nothing? 

                            all the sights we see is ours for the evening


    sit no kings and queens

            on the terrace where air is crisp

         the miner’s daughter 

              shares in this reverie

                   she too, has rugs and embroidery

                woven with budding dreams

    speak, what else do we need

                but a wall to gaze from

                       a fresh place to gather upon


               on sandstone we breathe in Dawn and Dusk

                  Her sweet ascent

               His gilded descent

                   and we below hold our heads high

                       the horizon is nigh


               yet 

                    the orange tree of abundance

                         is both earth and sky

                           as we are, rich in wonder and life

   

          sunset weaves through our hair

                       wraps us in copper and glow

     sister, this view is sincere

               all above is also below

                    

We are sun 

                  world 

                     sand-coloured veil 

             fluttering through the haze of

                         our singular                   golden                    hour