Heading back to Malaga
from Marrakesh
got off the train at Meknes
for the night
before boarding the ferry
in Tangier
ended up staying an extra day

That afternoon the streets
filled up with people
waiting for the king
Mohammed VI
to make a rare appearance
soon security
the royal guard
officials sporting uniforms
of various stripes and colors
ran all around
checking out the crowd

Where we were standing
a band of percussionists
and horn players
with medieval trumpets
five feet long
were making a great racket
while the dancers
half a dozen younger men
under the eye
of one old timer tried
heroically to keep the beat
we watched this happen
two days in a row
as hundreds
maybe thousands gathered
pushing for a place
up in the front
the king of course
never did appear