Nizar Qabbani Poems

Barada, oh father of all rivers
Oh, horse that races the days
Be, in our sad history, a prophet
...

Love happened at last,
And we entered God's paradise,
Sliding
Under the skin of the water
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The East receives my songs, some praise, some curse
To each of them my gratitude I bear
For I've avenged the blood of each slain woman
and haven offered her who is in fear.
...

I do not resemble your other lovers, my lady
should another give you a cloud
I give you rain
...

If you are my friend...
Help me...to leave you
Or if you are my lover...
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I wept until my tears were dry
I prayed until the candles flickered
I knelt until the floor creaked
...

(A Letter to a Man)

My dear Master,
This is a letter from a stupid woman
Has a stupid woman before me, written to you?
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I conquer the world with words,
conquer the mother tongue,
verbs, nouns, syntax.
...

In the blue harbor of your eyes
Blow rains of melodious lights,
Dizzy suns and sails
Painting their voyage to endlessness.
...

Do not ask me, the name of my love
I fear for you, from the fragrance of perfume
contained in a bottle, if you smashed it,
drowning you, in spilled scent
...