They stripped me of my sword as a warrior
my pen as a poet
my brush as a painter
and my guitar as a Gypsy
On my way to the grave
they returned to me my belongings
So what can I say to them
more than the violin says to the storm
Translated from the Arabic by the late Noel Abdulahad.
This poem appeared in Al Jadid Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 37, Fall 2001.
The late Mohammed al-Maghout was a prominent Syrian poet. This poem is included in his book, “Sayyaf al-Zuhur” (The Flower Slayer, 2001).
Copyright © 2024 AL JADID MAGAZINE