A King Proclaimed



On this very day in nineteen forty-six

And after years of strife regarding it

Transjordan was returned by the Brits

Whereupon it made itself a kingdom fit



To be led by by the Hashemite Arabs

And so Abdullan ibn Hussein carried

... Enough weight to be proclaimed King

But it was some time before they'd bring



... The man who'd lead thru four decades 

(The grandson of Abdullah, and brave)

For he held the country tightly together

Even when Jordan seemed so tethered



At one time with Syria, and then with Iraq

The young King trying hard not to buck 

... His neighbors in north, east and south 

Who've all paid lip service with their mouths ...



For the Arab states began as friends ...

Promising to support through lends ...

Reneged and dissolved their pacts ...

Leaving Hussein stranded on his back



So it's understandable he'd befriend Iraq

As both Egypt and Syria had little tact ...

And through all of the many years since

Only Saudi Arabia didn't make him wince



And now it seems Jordan will relent ...

Allowing the West Bank to be retrenched

For Israel has finally agreed to let it go

So now Palestinians will have a home ...



- Tristram



© Christopher W. Thomas

8:22pm Tues. May 25th, 1999