Beneath the Babylonian Moon (A Love Ballad from Iraq)

(The poem opens with a traditional Iraqi melody played on the oud, a stringed instrument. A woman's voice, rich and soulful, begins to sing.)

The Euphrates whispers secrets, beneath the moon's pale gleam,

Of ancient love stories, and a love that's yet to be seen.

Palm trees sway like lovers, beneath the starlit night,

As I stand on the rooftop, bathed in silver light.

Baghdad sleeps below me, a city old and grand,

But my heart yearns for another, a love I understand.

A young man with eyes like olives, and hair as dark as night,

His laughter, a desert melody, filling my world with light.

We met by chance one morning, in the bustling market square,

Amidst the scent of spices and the calls of vendors there.

His gaze fell upon me, a stolen glance and a smile,

A spark ignited, burning bright for a little while.

But tradition's heavy hand, casts a shadow over love,

Families hold the power, a choice sent from above.

He, from a weaver's family, his hands strong and true,

I, from a house of merchants, with dreams of a different hue.

We meet in secret gardens, where roses bloom in May,

Sharing stolen moments, beneath the light of day.

He speaks of love poems, penned by Hafiz long ago,

Words of longing and devotion, a love that only hearts can know.

I sing him ancient lullabies, of love and loss and pain,

Melodies passed down for ages, whispering through the rain.

We dream of a future together, where love can truly bloom,

But fear binds us like a desert wind, dispelling love's perfume.

One starlit night, he whispers, "Let's escape this city's hold,

Leave the weight of expectations, for a love story yet untold."

My heart thrums with a wild hope, a yearning to break free,

But the weight of family honor, a heavy chain on me.

(The melody changes, becoming more melancholic. The woman's voice expresses a sense of conflict.)

Days turn into weeks, the weight on my heart grows,

Torn between love's sweet promise and the path life always knows.

The call to duty whispers, a melody cold and old,

But love's song burns brighter, a story yet untold.

I stand once more on the rooftop, beneath the moon's pale gleam,

The Euphrates whispers secrets, of a love that's yet to be seen.

A tear rolls down my cheek, a silent, shimmering plea,

For a world where love can conquer, and hearts like ours can be free.

(The music swells, building to a powerful crescendo. The woman's voice gains strength and determination.)

But wait! A sound on the street below, a melody I know,

The sweet tune of his lute, a love song soft and slow.

He stands beneath my window, with a love that will not bend,

Holding aloft a scarlet scarf, a symbol love can send.

My heart leaps with a joyous cry, a decision finally made,

Love's melody rings louder, the future unafraid.

I climb down from the rooftop, defying tradition's call,

To join my love beneath the moon, and answer love's sweet thrall.

(The music softens again, becoming a duet between the woman and a man's voice. It ends with a hopeful and optimistic tone.)

Together we'll face the future, hand in hand we'll roam,

Building a love story, a love that finds its home.

Beneath the Babylonian moon, our love song will take flight,

A testament to hearts that dare, to choose their own light.

(The music fades, leaving a lingering sense of hope and possibility.)