Till the Dunes Turn Gold

Till the dunes turn gold, I'm driving
Four hundred kilometres, one lit window

Midnight behind the depot
Diesel cold in my teeth
Your photograph on the dashboard
Your voice still in my collar
Your bag waits at the door
The Oran bus leaves at six

Kilometre stones like prayer beads
The road is straight, the dark is patient
So am I, habibti

Till the dunes turn gold
Four hundred kilometres, one road, one name
Leave the lantern in your window burning
I'm driving till the dunes turn gold

Till the dunes turn gold
Before the birds

Kilometre two-sixty
A torch at my window at three
Papers, boot open
The guard asked where I was driving
I said your name out loud to a stranger
He handed back my licence
Said, "Drive slower than you want to"
I did not

Kilometre stones like prayer beads
The road is straight, the dark is thinning
I'm not patient now

Till the dunes turn gold
Four hundred kilometres, one road, one name
Leave the lantern in your window burning
I'm driving till the dunes turn gold

Two winters back, this road the other way
You stood at the gate with the lamp already lit
I watched you go small in the mirror
Tonight the mirror's empty
Everything faces forward

Till the dunes turn gold
Four hundred behind me, one road, one name
Take the lantern down, I can see your gate
I drove until the dunes turned gold

Ten past six, the bus is gone
Your bag still packed by the door
Open up, habibti, the dunes are gold