the came from the east,
they brought horses to our cultivated lands,
the gave power to our have-nots.
they took our culture,
they brought new customs to our burial grounds,
broadened the bases of our history.
they came from the east,
replaced our despots with their caliphates,
conquered but tolerated our gods.
they brought us wisdom,
they brought a zero to our tired calculations,
they guarded knowledge we