إِذا نَشَرَ الحَيا حُلَلَ الرَبيعِ

فَوَشَّعَ نَورُهُ كَنَفَيْ وَشيعِ

When the serpent spreads its scales, heralding spring

Its light radiates through my being

وَقَفتُ بِهِ فَذَكَّرَني سُلَيمَى

وَعادَ بِنَشرِها أَرَجُ الرَّبيعِ

It reminded me of Sulaima

Whose blossoming returned the spirit of spring

بِها سُفْعٌ تَبُزُّ شؤونَ عَيني

خَبيئَةَ ماذَخَرْنَ مِنَ الدُّموعِ

In her is loftiness that outshines my eyes

Hidden are the tears I once shed

فَناحَ حَمامُها وَحكَتهُ حَتَّى

وَجَدتُ الطَّرفَ يَسبَحُ في النَّجيعِ

Her cooing dove sang until

My eyes flowed like streams

أَيابْنَةَ عامِرٍ ماذا لَقِينا

بِرَبعِكِ مِن حَماماتٍ وُقوعِ

O daughter of Amer what did we find

In your abode of doves and rest

لَبِستُ بِهِ الشَّبابَ فَقَدَّ شَيبِي

مَجاسِدَ لَيلِهِ بيَدِ الصَّديعِ

With you I wore the cloak of youth, shedding my greyness

Rejuvenating the withered nights

وَكانَت أَيكَةُ الدُّنيا لَدَينا

عَلى النُّعمى مُهَدَّلَةَ الفُروعِ

To us the world was a meadow

With branches swaying blissfully

تُرى أَطنابُنا مُتشابِكاتٍ

كَأَنَّ بُيوتَنا حَلَقُ الدُّروعِ

Our tents seemed intertwined

As if our homes were castles forged

فَقَد نَضَبَتْ بَشاشَةُ كُلِّ عَيشٍ

غَزيرٍ دَرُّهُ شَرِقِ الضُروعِ

The flowing joy of life is now depleted

Once pouring from vines in the east

وَكادَ الدَّهرُ يَقطُرُ مُجتَلاهُ

عَلى الأَثلاتِ بِالسُمِّ النَّقيعِ

Time almost rains its collections

Of sorrows on barren sands