Nizar Qabbani: "I taught the world's children" (From Arabic)

"I taught the world's children..."
By Nizar Qabbani
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original Arabic

I taught the world's children
To spell your name
And their lips turned mulberry
I asked the wind
To comb the black of your hair
And it apologized, saying its time was so short
And your hair so long


The Original

علمت اطفال العالم
كيف يهجون اسمك
فتحولت شفاههم الى اشجار توت
اوصيت الريح
ان تمشط خصلات شعرك الفاحم
فاعتذرت بان وقتها قصير
وشعرك طويل

No comments:

Post a Comment