Ode to the Court Reporters of Dubai


By Hani M Bathish

We walked through the halls of justice unafraid, unperturbed by judicial pomp,

We were boastful of our exploits, proud, serene, aloof, above it all.

Always ready to turn to tatters reputations hard won in years;

Ready to mark their shame with indelible ink;

We were the Court Reporters of Dubai.

They knew us by our names: Mary, Hani, Bassam, Awad, and Ali...

... And more that followed and more that passed before.

We hunted in packs, at times alone, in the halls of justice we prowled,

Ready to pounce, to grab our pound of flesh and keep it all ourselves.

We sniffed the scent of guilt a mile,

Friends to every lawyer, clerk and bailiff;

Our guile and cheerful ways opened many doors that had been long shut.

We were the Court Reporters of Dubai

Chroniclers of woe, witnesses to many a fall;

Recorders of many notorious deeds... some among us were legend.

But we were more…

Our pens shone the cleansing light of truth into the darkest crevice;

We were the people’s eyes.

Remember: Justice must be seen to be done.

Our minds were ever focused on the prize;

Yet our hearts did soften little when mercy was deserved.

Our arrogance at times proved us wrong, brought us back to Earth

This is always a healthy thing.

Our mission was never tainted by favour or prejudice… We were ultimately poor.

We were the Court Reporters of Dubai.

Our sitting muscles were well used to hard wooden benches.

Our ears always mindful of whispering tones, trained well, sensitive and eager to learn.

But our day would be incomplete without a coffee house meet, over Saj or cake, football and jokes… then to work.

We were a merry bunch…

We were the Court Reporters of Dubai.

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