طَرِبْتُ إلى عَمّي وعاوَدَنِي ذِكْرِي

وَقَسَّمَ شَوَّالٌ بِقَدْمَتِهِ فِكْرِي

I yearned for my uncle, and memories of him returned to me,

While the month of Shawwal divided my thoughts with its steps.

فَكَمْ فَتْكَةٍ لِي فِي ذُرَى عَرَصَاتِها

أَرُوحُ عَلى سُكْرٍ وأَغْدُو عَلَى سُكْرٍ

How violent are the blows to me in the plains of its meadows!

I go intoxicated in the eve and awaken intoxicated in the morn.

طَرَقْتُ بِهَا الْخَمَّارَ والنَّجْمُ طالِعٌ

طُلُوعَ سِنانٍ قَاصِدٍ ثَغْرَة النَّحْرِ

I roamed them with the wine-pourer while the star was rising—

The emergence of a sharp sword aiming at the throat.

فأَنْكَحَنِي خَمْراً رَضِيتُ نِكاحَها

وأَغْلَيْتُ بِالسَّوْمِ المُبالِغَ وَالمَهْرِ

It wed me to a wine I accepted its marriage,

And I was infatuated with exaggeration and a high dowry.

وَقُلْتُ لِساقِينا أَدِرْ لِيَ خَمْرَةً

تُنِيلُ المُنى وافْجُرْ بِطَلْعَتِها فَجْرِي

So I said to our pourer, “Pass me a wine

That will grant wishes and burst forth with my vigor.”

فَقامَ خَلُوبُ الدَّلِّ يَجْلُو سُلاَفَةً

تُشَبِّهُ فِي كَاساتِهَا ذائِبَ التِّبْرِ

The tender-armed pourer rose to strain a draft

That resembles in its cups a melting ingot.

كَأَنَّ أَبارِيقَ اللُّجَيْنِ إذا انْحَنَتْ

رِقابُ غرَانِيقٍ تَطَلَّعُ مِنْ وَكْرِ

It was as though, when the flasks leaned aslant,

The necks of cranes were peering out of a lair.

لَهُ مُقْلَةٌ تَسْبِي الْعُقُولَ وَفِتْنَةٌ

تُسَقِّطُنِي مِنْ حَيْثُ أَدْرِي وَلاَ أَدْرِي

It has a magic that steals minds and an enchantment

That topples me from where I know and know not.

عَليِمٌ بِوَحْيِ الطَّرْفِ حَتَّى كَأنَّما

يُخاطِبُهُ فِكْرِي بِما ضَمَّهُ صَدْرِي

Knowing through a wink, as though

My thoughts were addressing it with what my breast contained.

فَحَطَّ عَلَى حُكْمِي رِحالَ إِجابَةٍ

وَسار بِما أَهْواهُ طَوْعاً إلَى أَمْرِي

It alighted in response to my command,

And freely went where I desired, obedient to my affair.

فَيا لَيْلَةً قَدْ أَسْعَفَتْنِي بِطِيبِها

وَقَفْتُ عَلَيْها الدَّهْرَ أَلْسِنَةَ الشُّكْرِ

O night that succored me with its goodness!

I will thank it forever with my tongue.