طَرَقَت أُسَيماءُ الرِحالَ وَدونَها

ثِنيانِ مِن لَيلِ التِمامِ الأَسوَدِ

The howdahs of travelers marched on, below them

Two folds of deepest blackest night.

وَمَفاوِزٌ وَصلَ الفَلاةَ جُنوبُها

بِجُنوبِ أُخرى غَيرَ أَن لَم تُعقَدِ

And expanses where the south of the wasteland

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

رَملٌ إِذا أَيدي الرِكابِ قَطَعنَهُ

قُرِعَت مَناسِمُها بِقُفٍّ قَردَدِ

Sand, when the feet of mounts disturbed it,

Rattled its knuckles with hollow knocks.

وَكَأَنَّ ريحَ لَطيمَةٍ هِندِيَّةٍ

وَذَكِيَّ جادِيٍّ بِنُصعٍ مَجسَدِ

As though a soft perfumed Indian breeze

And a lively north wind with streaming tatters

وَنَدى خُزامى الجَوِّ جَوِّ سُوَيقَةٍ

طَرقَ الخيالُ بِهِ بُعَيدَ المَرقَدِ

And the damp of rain clouds in empty barrens

Had stirred up visions in a far-off tomb.