1. وَمُتَّفِقاتِ الشَكلِ مُختَلِفاتِهِ

    لَبِسنَ ظَلاماً بِالصَباحِ مُرَقَّعا

    And birds alike in shape, yet different in appearance,

    Have donned darkness patched with morning light.

  2. أَخَذنَ مِنَ الكافورِ أَنفاً وَمِنسَراً

    وَخَضَّبنَ بِالحِنّاءِ كَفّاً وَأَصبَعا

    They took from camphor a nose and a beak,

    And dyed palm and finger with henna.

  3. وَتَرنو بِأَبصارٍ إِذا ما أَدَرنَها

    جَلَونَ عَقيقاً لِلعُيونِ مُرَصَّعا

    And they gaze with eyes; whenever they turn them,

    They reveal to the eye an inlay of agate.

  4. تَطيرُ بِأَمثالِ الجِلامِ كَأَنَّها

    جَنادِلُ تَدحوها ثَلاثاً وَأَربَعا

    They fly with wings like shears, as though they were

    Boulders you fling in threes and fours.

  5. تَبوغُ بِها في الجَوِّ مِن غَيرِ فَترَةٍ

    كَأَنَّ مَجاذيفا تَبوغُ بِها مَعا

    With them they sweep through the air without a pause,

    As though they were plying oars in unison.

  6. إِذا هِيَ عَبَّت في الغَديرِ حَسِبتَها

    تَزُقُّ فِراخا في المَغاوِرِ جُوَّعا

    When they drink deeply from the pool, you would think them

    Feeding hungry chicks, beak to beak, within the caves.