تَرى أَثَرَ القُيونِ بِصَفحَتَيهِ

كَسَومِ النَملِ مِشيَتُها دَريجُ

You see the tracks of caravans on the page

Like ants marching slowly in a line

كَما أَلقى البَراثِنَ وَسطَ ضَحلٍ

مِنَ الرَنقاءِ غُرنَيقٌ عَموجُ

As if they threw carpets amidst the shallows

A rolling dune of elegant shape

وَصَفراءُ البَرِيَّةِ فَرعُ نَبعٍ

تَبَطَّنَها أَساريعٌ نُهوجُ

The yellow of the desert, a brook’s branch

Swarmed by quick rivulets and streams

وَبيضٌ كَالأَسِنَّةِ مُرهَفاتٌ

كَأَنَّ ظُباتِها عُقرٌ بَعيجُ

And white like tongues they curve and bend

As if their graceful necks they arch and bend

سِلاحي ثُمَّ قَد عَلِموا بِأَنّي

إِذا ما فَرَّ ذو العِذَرِ السَميجُ

They know my weapons, and then they fled

When the ignoble made weak excuses

فَوَلّى سادِراً يَطيمُ الحُظَيّا

وَزَحزَحَ شَأَوَهُ العَدوُ الضَريجُ

Turning away hastily the enemy withdrew

Repelled by my strong and fierce refusal

وَهادِيَةٍ دَرَينا في مَصامٍ

كَأَنَّ سَراتَها سَحلٌ نَسيجُ

And gently we walked through the path’s groove

As if its smooth slope a carpet weaved