The sky breaks like a mirror
And yawns fire
A Princess whores the Dragon
A straw splits the river in half
A pirate drowns in a stream
And we stray, rolls of ricks
In a storm,
Locusts feed on us.
Unthinkable that the babies cry
The adolescents fall in love
The pregnant submit to labour.
I polish dolls’ shoes
I sell darkness to the night
I lend water to rain
I drink from an empty cup
Outside the tavern.
My land is Diaspora
My today’s face
Is my mask
Tomorrow

© Jad El Hage 

Arabic Poem was previously published in 26 Poems ( Dar Annahar, 1979).
Rendered from Arabic by Ahmad Shboul and Jad El Hage