Freedom

 

translated from the Arabic by Khaled Mattawa

Alone, now you are free.

You pick a sky and name it
                 a sky to live in
                 a sky to refuse

But if you want know
                 if you are really free
and to remain free
you must steady yourself
                 on a foothold of earth

so that the earth may rise
so that you may give
                 wings
to the children of earth
                 below 

 

Credit

Copyright © 2019 by Khaled Mattawa. Reprinted with the permission of Khaled Mattawa.