The Three Camels of Samarkhand

By Robert James DeBurgh (Poet)

IN the north-east corner of the soukh at Samarkhand,
Three camels stand, up to their ankles in shit,
And it rankles in the mind
How an otherwise kind man like Mustafa
Can have an Attitude that shows no
Gratitude
To the humpback beast that from the EAST!
Brought the three wise KINGS! (and their things....)
To the stable of the Lord Holy Jesus.
He's as rich as Croesus, is old Mustafa
He must have a sack of gold.
You'd think he'd at least get socks knit for the camels
Instead of just leaving them in the shit,
Standing in the cold.

Samarkhand 1887

NOTES ON PROVENANCE:
The above Work was discovered hidden in the folds of a saddle blanket of the kind woven by the Kulagi tribe of Afghans, well-known suppliers of these artifacts to the camel traders of Samarkhand. It would appear from this that RJdeB wished his sentiment to be known to the camel, if not to Mustafa.