The Smiling Camel

The Smiling Camel

The fellow of the desert tribes

The treasures of the merchant old

Its tracks imprinted ever onto

The desert sands of mounting gold

For miles and days it goes on

Into the capricious desert far

With little food and drink to have

Under the Sun and under the stars

Its eyes against the desert winds

To them the mirages unseen

Unwavering from its line of sight

Its senses strong and ever so keen

On its back the fortunes of deserts lie

A group called a caravan

In the desert it is the

Best friend of a man

The desert tests this hardy beast

And the fellow travellers along with it

Those who survive for another day

A testament of true gut and grit

It is the means, it is refuge

The ship of the desert it is

Its hump is its source of life

Refilled at every oasis

The burning sand under its feat

It goes on for miles and miles

And still it weathers the desert heat

With what appears to be a giant smile!