Sunday, July 31, 2005

Dream of Return by Iraqi poet Baland Haydari (my translation):
"I dream, o my city, of return
to our house
with extinguished candles
I dream that I return
and wake up the lamp
and open the window for
the wind
and leave the keys behind
the door
for the thieves
and for guests
for promises
*
I dream, o my city, of returning
I dream of return
to all what there is in your
wounded heart of tears
to your night discarded
in the alley
a black newspaper like shame
carried by wanderers
and the pimp and the
tavern keeper
from tavern to tavern...
to a laugh at a bar
and hunger may wrap
in its darkness its shoes
with torn road
*
I dream, o city, of returning
I search for my eyes between
the pages of the book
that I had left...over
there...
at the door
and on its paper
reproach has gotten green
"I wish he returns"
I want that he returns
before in the promises
its question about a missing
person dries up
in wind and fog
*
I dream, o city, of return
to all what is in your wounded
heart of tears"