إِنِّي طَلَبْتُ إِلى القِرْطاسِ يَحْمِلُ لي

بَعْضَ الَّذي بي إِلَيْكُمْ زَادَني قَلَقا

I asked paper to carry for me

Some of what with me towards you increased anxiety

فَظَلَّ يَرْعَدُ في كَفِّي فَأَوْهَمَني

بِأَنَّهُ لِلَّذي أَهْواهُ قَدْ عَشِقا

So it trembled in my palm, giving me the illusion

That for my beloved it had become impassioned

أَشْكُو إِلَيْهِ فَيَبْكِي حِينَ يَسْمَعُنِي

مِنْ رَحْمَتي وَلَوْ اسْتَنْطَقْتُهُ نَطَقا

I complain to it, and it weeps when it hears me

Out of mercy, though if I made it speak it would be silent

حَتَّى إِذا عَلِمَ القِرْطاسُ ما كَتَبَتْ

كَفِّي مِنَ الشَّوْقِ في أَحْشائِهِ احْتَرَقا

Until when the paper knew what my hand had written

Of yearning in its guts, it was set aflame