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| Nizar. |
As a part of its continuing effort to share a portion of the literary wealth of Arabic poetry with the English reader, The Arab American News translates a poem by the legendary Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani (1923- 1998).
Where do I go?
I no longer know… Where do I go.
Everyday… I feel closer
Everyday… your face becomes a part
of my life…
And my years become more prolific.
And shapes start looking better,
and things become
more beautiful
and tasteful.
You have penetrated the pores of my skin,
like a drop of dew.
Getting used to your absence
is hard.
And getting used to your presence
is harder.
I love you so that
myself is marveled by myself.
Poetry resides in the gardens of your eyes.
If it were not for your eyes…
no poetry would be written.
Since I loved you the suns have turned away…
and the skies have become clearer
and more spacious.
Since I loved you… all the seas
have started drinking
from the water of your eyes.
Your barbaric love is bigger than me,
so why do I get crucified in your arms.
My fault is I imagined myself
as a king, my friend,
but acted like a child,
who wishes to touch the furthest of planets…
Forgive me… If I had dreamed too much.
Am I demanding the unreachable?
Tell me who you are.
My feeling is like the feeling
that chases the bunny.
You are the sweetest myth.
And that who chases myths…
gets tired.
— Translated from Arabic by Ali Harb
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