[To love two people is to have it]

^{Translated from the Arabic by Yasmine Seale}

To love two people is to have it
coming: body nailed to beams,
dismemberment.
            But loving one
is like observing
religion.

I held out until fever broke me.
How long can grass brave fire?

             If I did not have hope
that my heart’s master’s
heart might bend to mine,
I would be stranded, no
closer to gate than home.

حَقُّ الَّذي يَعشَقُ نَفسينِ أَن يُصلَبَ أَو يُنشَر بِمِنشارِ

وَعاشِقُ الواحِدِ مِثلُ الَّذي أَخلَصَ دينَ الواحِدِ الباري

صَبَرتُ حَتّى ظَفَرَ السَقمُ بي كَم تَصبِرُ الحُلَفاءُ لِلنارِ

لَولا رَجئي العَطفَ مِن سَيِّدي بَقيتُ بَينَ البابِ وَالدارِ