By Ghassan Zaqtan

I have a wish to see the land
a wish to retrieve recitation from the wisdom of lectors
and to think like a falcon
I have a wish to see the land whole
return song to poetry,
call strange mountains my brothers
and release my heart from the corpse of longing
and from the thick honey of prophets
Perhaps there still remains in mountaintops
a night besides your eyes
a silver besides your voice
perhaps there still remains
in some beautiful place washed down with sin
a scream to be shouted
a metal to be examined
a desire unattained
My love, whose name is just that, “my love,”
my life’s flower
is about to burn in my hand
I beg you
please
let’s part