مَواعيدُ حَمّادٍ سَماءٌ مُخيلَةٌ

تَكشَّفُ عَن رَعدٍ وَلَكِن سَتَبرِقُ

The promises of Hammad are an imagined sky

That reveals thunder yet will flash with lightning

إِذا جئتَهُ يَوماً أَحالَ عَلى غَدٍ

كَما وَعَدَ الكَمّونُ ما لَيسَ يَصدُقُ

If you come to him one day, he defers you to tomorrow

As the deceitful promise what is not true

وَفي نافِعٍ عَنّي جَفاءٌ وَإِنَّني

لأُطرِقُ أَحياناً وَذو اللُبِّ يُطرِقُ

Naif has estranged me, though I

Will occasionally ponder while the judicious ponder

وَلِلنَقرى قَومٌ فَلو كُنتُ مِنهُمُ

دُعيتُ وَلَكِن دونِيَ البابُ مُغلَقُ

The Nagra have a people, if I were one of them

I would be invited, but the door is closed to me

أَبا عُمَرٍ خَلَّفتَ خَلفَكَ حاجَتي

وَحاجَةُ غَيري بَينَ عَينَيكَ تَبرُقُ

Abu Umar you left behind me my need

And others’ needs bright in your eyes

وَما زِلتُ أَستَأنيكَ حَتّى حَسَرتَني

بِوَعدٍ كَجاري الآلِ يَخفى وَيخَفُقُ

I continued to consult you until you disappointed me

With a promise like a faulty machine that falters and fails