Apex Magazine: Issue 88 by Baisden Alexandria & Srinduangkaew Benjanun & Bhat Abhinav & Barretta Mike

Author:Baisden, Alexandria & Srinduangkaew, Benjanun & Bhat, Abhinav & Barretta, Mike
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Apex Book Company
Published: 2016-09-04T00:00:00+00:00

The Mouth of the Cave

Brandon Marlon

A legendary trove slumbers under sandscape,

tempting Muslim and zendik1 alike:

hopefuls brave distant vistas for Samsama2,

mythic symbol of battlefield heroism.

Advancing upon mundane wilderness,

a Bedouin urchin recites memorized cipher;

magically prompting the cavernous rictus,

he swiftly plunges into craggy depths.

Greeted by an aureate glow of buried riches,

he shields his gawp from splendor:

beyond gem and jewel and coin lies the prize,

its metal glinting with exultant sheen;

forged by the Jewish sons of Bani Qaynuqa,

Samsama once felt Muhammad’s hand.

Carefully the urchin inches toward the sword,

which has never missed a single stroke.

Grasping its antique haft with dusty fingers,

he sees three nails binding blade to hilt.

Abruptly the rictus rumbles and groans,

startling boldness verging on triumph:

now even scorpions and horned vipers scatter

… as dust clouds obscure a gilded trap.

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