I Love You, I Love You – This Is My Signature
As Nizar Qabbani eloquently expresses:
Is there any doubt that you are the most beautiful woman in the world, the most significant woman in my life? When I found you, it felt as though I held the keys to existence itself. The very moment I touched your hand, my perception of the world shifted profoundly. Your entry into my heart marked the most monumental day in history, the most delightful news imaginable. Do you question who you are, the one who captivates all moments with her gaze? You are a woman who shatters the boundaries of silence with every step you take. I cannot fathom the magic that occurs; it feels like you are my one and only muse, as though I have never loved anyone before you. Before you, it is as if I did not truly exist, nor did I live until your grace enveloped me.
Like a bird escaping from its nest, I emerged from within you. There’s no doubt you are an integral part of my essence. From your eyes, I have stolen the fire that ignited my most audacious rebellions. You are the rose, the gemstone, the fragrant basil, the sovereign, and the rightful queen among all women. You are the fish that swims in the waters of my life, the moon that rises each evening from the window of my words, the greatest triumph among all my victories, my last homeland where I can be born, buried, and find solace in my writings.
Oh, woman of wonder, you are my beloved. I have no idea how the waves cast me at your feet, nor how I walked towards you as all the birds of the sea flutter around, seeking refuge in your embrace. How profoundly fortunate I am to have found you, woman who weaves herself into the fabric of my poetry, warm as the sands of the sea, magnificent as the night of destiny. The moment you knocked on my door, is when my life truly commenced. How beautiful poetry has become while unfurling between your hands, making me feel rich and powerful simply because God bestowed you upon me.
Is there any doubt that your words flow from your lips? Do you doubt that I am in you, and you are in me? You are the fire that consumes my being, the fruit that fills my branches, a body that slices through the air with the precision of a blade and erupts like a volcano. You are a breast that carries the scent of tobacco fields, racing towards me like a wild stallion. Tell me, how can I save myself from the waves of the flood? What should I do in the grip of my addiction to you? What is the solution? My passion has led me to the brink of madness. You, with the features reminiscent of ancient Greece and hair like that of the Spanish, are a woman who transcends time itself.
You dance barefoot at the entrance of my arteries. Where did you come from? How did you enchant me so? You are one of God’s great gifts to me, a cloud of love and tenderness, the most precious pearl in my hands.
Your Eyes
According to Elia Abu Madi:
Your eyes, infused with enchantment, transformed me into an enchanting poet. You taught me love, and I bestowed it in turn. You are the full moon, the branch, and the bird. If your absence takes hold of my eyes and the night becomes maddening, I will inquire about you with the radiant moon. I will visit the garden at daybreak to converse with the singing nightingale and smell the rose blossoming in bloom because it encompasses a lovely fragrance, reminiscent of my longing!
Do you recall that wistful lover? Many have found solace in their nests until I awakened him from his slumber. He now wanders like me, lost and perplexed. When he saw me in the meadow, he began lamenting, just as I do, the torment of love, separation, and heartbreak. Like a star that bore witness to my sighs, he now remains awake and restless. I have driven sleep from my eyes and pay no heed to critics.
The Veil
As expressed by the eloquent Nabigha Al-Dhubiani:
The veil has fallen, even though you intended to keep it intact. I reached for it cautiously with my hand. It was delicate and soft, as if its fabric were crafted from the finest silk. Your gaze caught me longing for something unfulfilled, like the sick person gazes longingly at the fragrant wood.
Magnificent, as though appearing amidst an elegant canopy, like the sun blazing with vitality on the day of its ascent. Or like a pearly shell, whose diver has just returned, shining brilliantly. Whenever he lays eyes upon its beauty, the onlookers rejoice. Or like a sculpture of marble, elevated and bedecked with pearls that cascade in succession. Had it been offered to an ascetic, wholly devoted in service to God, he would have marveled at its brilliance, for it speaks of beauty and eloquence, even if he remains unpersuaded.
Oh, Surrender, O Hind of Banu Badr
In the love poems of Al-Akhtal:
Oh, surrender, O Hind of Banu Badr! Even if others have come to reside in the end of time. And if you aimed to strike at me when you targeted me with your arrow, your aim is precise, albeit unknowingly. The flowing lines of sorrow trace the path of tears, while the adornments reveal their true nature. When you distance yourself, your shadows return and dwell within our recollections, as if fate itself pushed me away from my desires, reminding me of the chaos we harbored.
But should we meet again on the battlefield, we will share the fate of victory together. I am happy to see the descendants of Qais come forth in glory, while my heart swells with pride when I witness the bonds of our kinship.
The Fiery Love for Layla
As expressed by Ismail Sari Al-Dahshan:
Your fervent love, O Layla, reignites whenever it wanes. How can it ever dim when it burns like kindling in my heart and ribs? It burns without fire, intensifying each time it flourishes, blossoming like fragrant blooms. Whenever I complain, it becomes sweeter, and whenever I seek it, it flourishes anew!
My foes have had no effect on this bond; no envy has stemmed from this radiant love. Within it lies a serene existence, an essence of belonging. It is that cup of nectar made from clusters of roses, that kind of love where diabolical endeavors fail. Yet, what grieves me is the persistence of the devil, lurking amidst my heart’s happiness. In you, dear, my longing finds solace and my promises find affirmation. You are my world and my eternity, my life force.
You materialize in my dreams at night, yet remain far as though shrouded in slumber. You reveal yourself when I rise to pray, lost in the reverent act of submission. Each thought sparkles with meaning, unfettered by constraints, leaving my intellect bewildered.
Smitten by Eyes of a Gazelle
By the poet Ruba ibn al-Ajjaj:
Shrouded by eyes like that of a playful gazelle, you have landed in the surroundings like a flash of blue lightning, sparkling with effulgence. It feels as if the distance between your beauty and the resplendence of the sky has led to an enchanting landscape that captures the spirit.
After an enchanted slumber, you exhibit a scent of sweet fragrance, reminiscent of tranquility post-reverie. Strikingly white, fair as the softest silk! How I long to bear the imprint of your footsteps, firmly nestled amidst mountains of dreams.