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