Zal

Zal

Neither good nor evil can be 

     hidden from the Simurgh 

     who sees the babe below,

unclothed, sucking his fingers. 

     She raises him in her talons,

flies him to her nest: her young

     will eat: yet, innards stirred,

     she asks her young, "Spare 

this babe for a time and treat 

him as a brother." 

                              They choose 

their own flesh to feed the babe,

tend him who's been forsaken 

     by his papa. They treat him, 

again, so, day by day, as moon

     rises, sets below, the babe 

     grows into a boy, beautiful 

and strong, renowned the land

over, for neither good nor evil

     can be hidden forever. 

[un/ready-made]