Letter from Under the Water -- by Nizar Qabbani

Letter from Under the Water
 
If you are my friend...
Help me...to leave you
Or if you are my lover...
Help me...so I can be healed of you...
If I knew....
that the ocean is very deep...I would not have swam...
If I knew...how I would end,
I would not have began
***
I miss you...so teach me not to do so 
teach me...
how to cut the roots of your love from the depths
teach me...
how tears may die in the eyes
and how the longing  may commit suicide
***
If you are prophet,
Cleanse me from this spell
Save me from this atheism...
Your love is like atheism...so purify me from this atheism
***
If you are strong...
Rescue me from this ocean
For I don't know how to swim
The blue waves...in your eyes
drag me...to the depths
 
 
 
and I have no experience
in love...and no boat...
***
If I am dear to you
then take my hand
For I am filled with love ...from my
head to my feet
***
I am breathing under water!
I am drowning...
drowning...
drowning...
__________________
 
 




 
 
               The Original Poem in Arabic :      
 
                                                     رسالة من تحت الماء                                             
 
إن كنتَ صديقي.. ساعِدني
كَي أرحَلَ عَنك..
أو كُنتَ حبيبي.. ساعِدني
كَي أُشفى منك
لو أنِّي أعرِفُ أنَّ الحُبَّ خطيرٌ جِدَّاً
ما أحببت
لو أنِّي أعرفُ أنَّ البَحرَ عميقٌ جِداً
ما أبحرت..
لو أنِّي أعرفُ خاتمتي
ما كنتُ بَدأت...
إشتقتُ إليكَ.. فعلِّمني
أن لا أشتاق
علِّمني
كيفَ أقُصُّ جذورَ هواكَ من الأعماق
علِّمني
كيف تموتُ الدمعةُ في الأحداق
علِّمني
كيفَ يموتُ القلبُ وتنتحرُ الأشواق
*
إن كنت نبياً .. خلصني
من هذا السحر..
من هذا الكفر
حبك كالكفر.. فطهرني
من هذا الكفر..
إن كنتَ قويَّاً.. أخرجني
من هذا اليَمّ..
فأنا لا أعرفُ فنَّ العوم
الموجُ الأزرقُ في عينيك.. يُجرجِرُني نحوَ الأعمق
وأنا ما عندي تجربةٌ
في الحب.. ولا عندي زورق..
إن كنت أعز عليك .. فخذ بيديّ
فأنا عاشقةٌ من رأسي .. حتى قدميّ
إني أتنفَّسُ تحتَ الماء..
إنّي أغرق..
أغرق..
أغرق..
 
 
 


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