Distant Light

Distant Light
by Walid Khazindar
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Bitterly cold,
winter clings to the naked trees.

If only you would free
the bright sparrows
from your fingertips
and unleash a smile―that shy, tentative smile―

from the imprisoned anguish I see.

Sing! Can we not sing
as if we were warm, hand-in-hand,
sheltered by shade from a sweltering sun?

Can you not always remain this way:
stoking the fire, more beautiful than expected, in reverie?

Darkness increases and we must remain vigilant
now that this distant light is our sole consolation―
this imperiled flame, which from the beginning
has been flickering,
in danger of going out.

Come to me, closer and closer.
I don't want to be able to tell my hand from yours.
And let's stay awake, lest the snow smother us.

This is a wonderfully moving poem by Walid Khazindar, who was born in 1950 in Gaza City. He is considered to be one of the very best Palestinian poets; his poetry has been said to be "characterized by metaphoric originality and a novel thematic approach unprecedented in Arabic poetry." He was awarded the first Palestine Prize for Poetry in 1997. Keywords/Tags: Arab, Arabic, translation, Gaza, Palestine, Palestinian, love, smile, anguish, winter, fire, flame, light, warmth

Reviews

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Wow you are a famous popular poem translator and collector and how you translated Arabic poem into English so eloquently is a feat to be admired and shows your own original poetic expertise and talent as well. Kudos for your great noteworthy praiseworthy efforts at diffusing and spreading word art. Your fan and I have read you in many other places.
You may read my poems too here.

[Michael R. Burch]

Thanks for taking the time to read my translations and comment. It was an honor to translate a wonderful poem like "Distant Light." I will read some of your poems and comment.