سرى والليلُ ممتدُّ الرِّواقِ

وحادي النجمِ محلولُ النّطاقِ

The night stretched long, the corridors whispered on,

And the loosened stars wandered in the dark.

خيالٌ في الظلام أتى خيالا

كِلا جسميهما نِضو اشتياقِ

A vision came to me in the gloom - another vision -

Both our bodies craving each other's touch.

فذادَهُما الدّموعُ عن التشاكي

وصدَّهما النّحولُ عن العِناقِ

But the tears we wept kept us from embracing

And our very gauntness restrained us from hugging.

ولو لم يُطفِئا بالدمع نارا

من الزّفَرات همّا باحتراقِ

Had we not quenched with tears the fires burning

In our panting breasts, we'd have burst into flame.

كأنّ بوادرَ العبراتِ خيلٌ

مضمَّرةٌ تَجارى في السباقِ

It was as though the tears we shed were cavalry

Thundering down the field in a wild race.

ولم يستمتعا بالوَصلِ حتى

أنارَ الفجرُ يُؤذنُ بالفراقِ

We hardly had time to enjoy being together

Before dawn lit the sky, heralding our parting.

كأنّهما أنا وفتى سعيدٍ

أبو حزمٍ تمنّينا التّلاقي

It was as though we were I and a joyful Sa'id -

Abu Hazim - who longed so much to meet.