By Mohamed Lebshara
The medina of Fes is an old grandmother,
cultured, educated,
once famed for her great beauty,
once very rich.
Still she has countless jewels
and garments made long ago by the
finest craftsmen and artists.
But now she’s old and sick and ugly
abandoned by her children
and grandchildren.
They used to come
to visit once a year
but now they’re ashamed of her
and prefer to stay away.
Abandoned, her precious jewels
and golden caftans are stolen
and sold for almost nothing,
her lovely house rotting from neglect.
Her children and grandchildren
try to ease their conscience,
they say they love her,
talk about how beautiful and great she once was
but can’t bear to see her as she lies dying in squalor.
If only they could realize their blindness
and save her before it’s too late.
