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A flock of birds
Written and translated
by Sayed Gouda
After I had burned the columns of the bridges
And sat on my raft
Travelling on the whims of waves
Watching the fire far away
Chewing my small hut;
After I had surrendered my raft to winds
And raised my face towards the sky,
I
saw a flock of birds
Like messengers from heaven,
A
precious omen
That we have been waiting for years.
I
heard in them the prophets' voices.
So I followed them,
I
rowed after their flag,
Maybe on their feathers,
I
reach the stars and get burned,
Maybe I can travel at sunset,
And illuminate in the dark,
Maybe I can be a light to guide the ships
If they fall in the hand of the careless child,
Maybe I can melt with the crying clouds
And return to the thirsty soil
To water the roots,
A
sign of a new life will show between the cracks
And there will be feast for the poor,
And the windmill of life will turn.
I
saw the flock of birds
Like arrows flying in the body of the sky
I
followed them,
Defying the ghost of drowning,
Maybe I will be,
Maybe I will live if I defy death,
Maybe I will be sane
If I surrendered myself to insanity,
Maybe I will keep my dignity
If once I pulled down my sails
And bowed my head,
Maybe I will be eternal if I fold up my papers
And throw them into the fire,
Around which the worshippers pray and fast,
Maybe to them, aches are more precious than dust.
I
followed the flock of birds
Like yachts they were slicing the sky waves.
I
followed them until I entered a whale's stomach,
I
rowed inside, with no fear
I
did not shiver
Darkness surrounded me, squeezing me
Like a fly in a spider's web
I
raised my face up towards the sky
Searching for the flock of birds
Where is the sky?
The promises of the prophets have vanished
After I had burned the columns of the bridges!
(13/9/2004)
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