عَرَفتُ لِسَلمى رَسمَ دارٍ تَخالُها

مَلاعِبَ جِنٍّ أَو كِتاباً مُنَمنَما

I knew the house of Salma, though it seemed

A haunt of jinn or book with gilded seam,

وَعَهدي بِسَلمى وَالشَبابُ كَأَنَّهُ

عَسيبٌ نَمى في رَيِّهِ فَتَقَوَّما

And I recall when youth and Salma were

As shoots that flourished, nurtured by a stream.

يَعَضُّ سِواراها خِدالاً لَوَ اَنَّها

إِذا بَلَغا الكَفَّينِ أَن يَتَقَدَّما

Her bracelets she would bite, were they to gain

Advance, once past her wrists, or so I deem.

نَزيعانِ مِن جَرمِ بنِ زَبّانَ إِنَّهُم

أَبَوا أَن يَريقوا في الهَزاهِزِ مِحجَما

From Jarir and his ilk they kept their blades

Though war's rough labor called them, it would seem.