Stanza 90


90

Now Ibrahim informs them, "I believe
The Northern well can offer a reprieve.
It is about to fail but still has not,
And everybody in the town has sought
To fill containers to anticipate
The future lack. There can be no debate
That water from this source will not deprive
The people or in any way contrive
To jeopardize the critical supply.
If we don't use it now it will go dry,
So I will bring the quantity you need
To wash the corpse according to our creed."
The mullah thanks the steadfast engineer
For overcoming their unbridled fear
Of having to resort to tayammum.
Then as the cleric and his sons assume
The task of taking Qasim's corpse to where
They can begin the process to prepare
The body, Ibrahim departs in haste
To fetch the water ere it goes to waste.