طَرَقَت أُسَيماءُ الرِحالَ وَدونَها

طَرَقَت أُسَيماءُ الرِحالَ وَدونَها

ثِنيانِ مِن لَيلِ التِمامِ الأَسوَدِ

ثِنيانِ مِن لَيلِ التِمامِ الأَسوَدِ

Usayma visited the camp by night, though between her and us lay

The howdahs of travelers marched on, below them

Two folds of the long, black winter night,

Two folds of deepest blackest night.

وَمَفاوِزٌ وَصلَ الفَلاةَ جُنوبُها

وَمَفاوِزٌ وَصلَ الفَلاةَ جُنوبُها

بِجُنوبِ أُخرى غَيرَ أَن لَم تُعقَدِ

بِجُنوبِ أُخرى غَيرَ أَن لَم تُعقَدِ

And trackless wastes whose flanks joined one desert

And expanses where the south of the wasteland

To another's flanks, though never knotted together;

Joined the south of another, though no treaties were struck.

رَملٌ إِذا أَيدي الرِكابِ قَطَعنَهُ

رَملٌ إِذا أَيدي الرِكابِ قَطَعنَهُ

قُرِعَت مَناسِمُها بِقُفٍّ قَردَدِ

قُرِعَت مَناسِمُها بِقُفٍّ قَردَدِ

Sand: when the riding camels' forelegs crossed it,

Sand, when the feet of mounts disturbed it,

Their footpads were struck against a rugged, rocky rise.

Rattled its knuckles with hollow knocks.

وَكَأَنَّ ريحَ لَطيمَةٍ هِندِيَّةٍ

وَكَأَنَّ ريحَ لَطيمَةٍ هِندِيَّةٍ

وَذَكِيَّ جادِيٍّ بِنُصعٍ مَجسَدِ

وَذَكِيَّ جادِيٍّ بِنُصعٍ مَجسَدِ

And it was as though the scent of an Indian perfume caravan,

As though a soft perfumed Indian breeze

And fragrant saffron in a saffron-dyed white wrapping,

And a lively north wind with streaming tatters

وَنَدى خُزامى الجَوِّ جَوِّ سُوَيقَةٍ

وَنَدى خُزامى الجَوِّ جَوِّ سُوَيقَةٍ

طَرقَ الخيالُ بِهِ بُعَيدَ المَرقَدِ

طَرقَ الخيالُ بِهِ بُعَيدَ المَرقَدِ

And lavender's dew in the hollow—the hollow of Suwayqa—

And the damp of rain clouds in empty barrens

Had come with her phantom by night, just after I fell asleep.

Had stirred up visions in a far-off tomb.