This time of year brings her out in me... Loreena McKennitt - Marrakesh night market Theyre gathered in circles the lamps light their faces The crescent moon rocks in the sky The poets of drumming keep heartbeats suspended The smoke swirls up and then dies Would you like my mask? would you like my mirror? cries the man in the shadowing hood You can look at yourself you can look at each other or you can look at the face, the face of your god The stories are woven and fortunes are told The truth is measured by the weight of your gold The magic lies scattered on rugs on the ground Faith is conjured in the night markets sound Would you like my mask? would you like my mirror? cries the man in the shadowing hood You can look at yourself you can look at each other or you can look at the face, the face of your god The lessons are written on parchments of paper Theyre carried by horse from the river Nile says the shadowy voice In the firelight, the cobra is casting the flame a winsome smile Would you like my mask? would you like my mirror? cries the man in the shadowing hood You can look at yourself you can look at each other or you can look at the face, the face of your god Loreena writes in the CD booklet about this song: March 16, 1993 - Arrived tonight in Marrakesh and am staying on the edge of the market. It is Ramadan and there is heightened activity all around. I am struck by the hooded features of men as they pass through the lights and shadows: they look monk-like. Horses, carriages, cars, bicycles and thousands of people are embroiled in the activities of the night ... a cacophony of sound. I retreat to a rooftop café to watch while sipping mint tea ... many circles of twenty or so people are scattered around the market, each involved in their own drama of music, storytelling monkeys on mens shoulders, or cobras being coaxed to dance on rugs; magic concoctions of bone, seeds, stones and spices are sold ... women are veiled to a great degree ... I am stuck by the sense of intrigue the environment creates; as much is concealed as is revealed ...
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 22:34:06 +0000