The Siege Poem by Mohamed Al-Maghout

My tears turned blue
for staring at the sky so long
My eyes turned yellow
for dreaming of the golden wheat, so long
Let the generals go to wars
the lovers to the woods
the scientists to labs
But I...
shall search for a rosary
and a dusty chair
to resolve my old job:
a door-keeper at the gate of sorrow
as long as all books, constitutions
and religions confirm,
I shall die either
from hunger or in jail.

Translated by: Noel Abdulahad