كأنماas though النَّرْجِسُthe narcissus الطاقيّsingle-flowered حينwhen بداit appeared
كأنما النَّرْجِسُ الطاقيّ حين بدا
قِعابcups تِبْرٍunworked gold علىupon جاماتِbowls بلّورِcrystal
قِعاب تِبْرٍ على جاماتِ بلّورِ
As though the single-flowered narcissus, when it appeared,
As if the towering narcissus when it appeared
were cups of unworked gold upon crystal bowls.
Were goblets of amber on crystal stems
كأنّas though أوراقَهits petals والشمسُand the sun تصقُلهاpolishes them
كأنّ أوراقَه والشمسُ تصقُلها
أوراقُsheets شمعٍwax فمنso, some of خامٍraw ومَقْصورِand bleached
أوراقُ شمعٍ فمن خامٍ ومَقْصورِ
As though its petals, with the sun polishing them,
As if its petals, burnished by the sun
were sheets of wax, some raw and some bleached.
Were leaves of wax, soft yet imprisoned