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A Sky of Water

A Sky of Water
Arabic Poem By: Falah Al-Shabender*
Traslate By
 Inaam Al-Hashimi (Gold_N_Silk)
====================

A sky of water
Doesn't blaze in a glance;
It follows us, as we head towards it, 
Fraying its essence, 
And transcending in its mysteries;
Emptiness .. Mooing.. And dizziness swallow us,
Undigested.

Here our faces are prayers, 
The horizon is a hearth of died out ashes
No effort is needed
For faith in the supreme.

A phoenix 
From the far away echo
Drops a shadow painting a sign, 
The road leads to......... 
Only if I had a seeder 
For this bird hovering above us, 
And if I hoped for any good from it! 
But, No; it's there by chance! 
If I set up a trap for it, 
I'd capture it.
But, no,
Not this.. and not that! 
We've defined its sky, 
And I have the seeds for it

-What are your seeds? 
-Words, Sir! 
-I don't think it reads.
-But it could hear! 


In the floating cave, their fourth was the bird,
Landed on the threshold.
- Only if this bird would  write us on land, 
To be our witness!
 
Of wood they carved a ladder, 
And climbed the index of birds;
Their mu'ezzin called: 
The nigt is nibbling at the day, 
Digging its valley, 
Pouring in seepage of the last farewell; 
In the naked night, 
We become more than what we are..! 
And what hangs us to the sudden in the darkness, 
We wait to see what comes out of its abode; 
Because this hour,
Is the hour of mere animal! 
It senses our nakedness, 
Chills with patience
Floating creeps in .. A floating drum 
Over a sky of water 
The voice creeps ... 
Somber chant: 
The opposite triumphed........... The opposite is defeated 
Falling rain  .......... Rising smoke 
Breathing and exhaling 
The opposite triumphed........... The opposite is defeated,
And the foam exhales 
Paper of disgraced thoughts; 
The waves giggle;
We retreat, swinging with bias, 
Turn around, and revolve around "the intoxicated boat;" 
We retreat, 
Our backs meet, 
 And we join;
The tough waits for the tough 
"To be or not to be" ............ That is the guffaw! 

Oh, sovereign power of the sea, 
We are sand;
The bird is belated
And we are picked up by dust. 

*****

Translatedby: 
Em. Prof. Inaam Al-Hashimi (Gold_N_Silk)
USA
February 2010


*Falah Al-Shabender is a poet from Iraq
The original text in Arabic: http://www.alnoor.se/article.asp?id=80084

Copyright © | Year Posted 2013




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