Poetry of Love and Passion
The eyes that glimmer with enchanting allure
Have captivated us, yet they do not revive our slain hearts.
They ensnare the strong-willed, leaving them lifeless,
Despite being the most fragile of God’s creations.
O Lord, if you were to desire our fair company,
We would meet distance from you and deprivation.
We have shown him death, so there is no life within,
For we have long borne your embrace before this day.
Poetry of Love and Affection
A beautiful maiden struck my heart
With arrows of glance for which there is no remedy.
The festival days passed among the graceful forms,
Like suns, their gazes are captivating gazelles.
My condition, which lies hidden within, overwhelmed me;
I concealed it, yet secrecy betrayed it.
And I said, in alarm, it’s a frightened gazelle
That is startled by misfortune amid the wilderness.
And there she appeared, I said, the full moon
Adorned with stars, a reflection of the Pleiades.
Her smile shed the light of pearls upon her lips,
Therein lies the remedy for the malady of lovers.
She bowed in reverence to her Lord, swaying gently,
For our great lords are awestruck by her majesty.
O slender one, whether your love is matched or surpassed,
For me, in times of despair, you are my hope.
If fortune favors me, then indeed,
I will rise above disappointment, unbent.
Poetry of Love and Yearning
When will you understand how deeply I adore you, O man,
For whom I would trade this world and all within it?
O you who challenge cities in love for him,
I shall proceed undaunted in this defiance.
If you seek the sea within my eyes, I’ll pour it out,
Or if you seek the sun, I shall cast it from my hands.
I declare my love above the clouds, writing it there,
To the birds and trees, I share my tale.
I inscribe my love upon the water,
And to the vines and cups, I shall offer it.
I love you, O sword that draws my blood,
A story I know not what to name.
I love you, help me if you can,
For he who began this tragedy must conclude it.
He who opened the doors is the one who must close them,
And he who ignited the fires is the one who must extinguish them.
O you who silently smokes and leaves me,
In the sea, I raise my anchors and cast them away.
Do you not see me drowning in this ocean of love,
As the waves devour my hopes and toss them aside?
Come down a little from your lashes, O man,
For you still slay my dreams while breathing life into them.
Cease playing the role of the lovesick with me,
Choosing words that bear no meaning for you.
How many letters have you fabricated to send,
Delighting me with flowers you never gave?
How many promises have you broken and left unfulfilled,
And how many times have I dreamed of garments I would buy?
How many times did I wish for your invitation to dance,
Leaving me bewildered, arms unsure where to place?
Return to me, for the earth stands still,
As if it has fled from its moments.
Come back, for without you, there are no beads to string,
Nor do I fin the fragrance of my perfumes within their vessels.
For whom is my beauty, for whom is the silk shawl,
For whom have I nurtured these tresses for years?
Come back as you are, whether clear skies or rain,
For what is my life without you in it?
Poetry of Nizar Qabbani
I have given you a choice, now choose:
Between death upon my chest,
Or upon the pages of my poetry…
Choose love, or choose despair,
For it is cowardice not to decide.
There is no middle ground
Between paradise and hell…
Throw your cards on the table,
And I shall accept any conclusion.
Speak. Let your emotions overflow. Explode,
Do not stand like a nail in the wall.
I cannot remain forever
Like a straw in the rain.
Choose a destiny between two
And how cruel my destinies are…
You tire me, and you are afraid,
And my journey stretches far.
Dive into the sea, or swim away,
There is no sea without its whirlpools.
Love is a grand confrontation,
A voyage against the current.
It is tough, and it brings pain and tears,
And a departure among stars.
Your cowardice kills me, O woman
Who entertains herself behind the curtain.
I do not believe in love,
That does not carry the fervor of revolutionaries.
That breaks down all walls,
That strikes like a hurricane.
Ah, if only your love would consume me,
Take me away, like a tempest.
I have given you a choice, now choose:
Between death upon my chest,
Or atop the pages of my poetry.
There is no middle ground
Between paradise and hell…