Lamps Poem by Al-Saddiq Al-Raddi

In the water
in silence at your side
in a fire that draws us close
I drift -
and only you can call me

. . . . . . . . . .
A bird enters spring
like a lance
Your eyes flash their secrets
A kiss grazes the rainbow
The rain rains

But the streets are empty of my friends
Lamps are extinguished
in the far-flung houses
and the lost heart echoes in its lonely chamber

You give your blessings to those who depart
and leave the rest to fate

Translation: 2008, Sarah Maguire and Sabry Hafez