An Attempt to Await
Adeeb Kamal Ad-Deen
1
Which awaits which?
Does the sun await the street?
Or does the street await the people:
The simpletons and the beggars?
Do the fields await the bees?
Or do the bees await death?
Or does death await darkness?
Which awaits which?
Does disappointment await surprise?
Or does surprise await uselessness?
Does futility await lies?
Or do women await gossip?
Which awaits which?
Does the bridge await the Euphrates?
Or does the Euphrates await the hunched bridge?
Does the poet await the letters?
Or do the letters await the dots?
Which awaits which?
Does the killer await the victim?
Or does the victim await the knife?
Does time await people to put them to death?
Or do people await Time to beg or to become old?
Which awaits which?
Does the magician await the Jinns?
Or does the Jinns knock at the door
After being bored with waiting?
2
What a wait!
When the sun cried I charged the street.
When the fields cried I charged the bees.
When fear cried I charged death.
When disappointment cried I charged surprise.
When women cried I charged the gossip.
When the poet cried I charged letters.
When the bridge cried I charged the Euphrates.
What a wait!
What a torture!
When the killer cried I charged the victim.
When Time cried I charged the people.
When the magician cried I charged the Jinns.
3
What a wait!
It is said that the Jinns and I
Were waiting.
If they knew,
They would not have tolerated this strange torture.
If they knew, they would have flown, flown, flown
If…
O! Jinns
Remember me … remember me.
I am together with you in the flask of waiting.
I am together with you in an iron flask.
******************************
* Jinn is a supernatural fiery creature.
( TM )