Garden Statues
Between the last night
and the first night...
a lake of tranquility...
.... ....
Leave that glass of memory to memory -
let its essence transmute all these nights into gold
Leave the voice of Ali Farka Toure
soaring
through the silvered light of that room,
a room inlaid with the jewels of minutes and hours
Leave your hands lost in the fleeting characters of a
keyboard
Leave that wooden rocking-horse
the old teddy-bear propped on a chair
the neighbouring gardens
Leave the sun still toying with the sky at eight in the evening
Leave the window open
on a morning arrayed with morning
Leave that flower labouring to consume you
Leave the peacock emblazoned on a field of beauty
Leave.... .... ....
Whatever little time is left
will never return...
These jewels cannot return
Thirst will not be slaked by the distant glimpse of a sail
And when you left
you were burnished,
you were consumed and yet complete,
you were fashioned from mother-of-pearl
Then, suddenly, once again,
you were downcast in clay
Weekdays returned, empty handed
Routine returned
And silence reigned
London 5th April, 2006
The literal translation of this poem was made by Sabry Hafez
The final translated version of the poem is by Sarah Maguire
Listen to a reading of this poem in English and the original language on the player below or download it to keep (MP3).
Other poems
Other Poems
© Poetry Translation Centre 2004-2013
fareed abdulhameed ismail says:
SO DEEP POEM AND CLEAR........MAN IS THE MAN AT LAST AND ALL COVERS ARE SHADES ACCOMPANING CLAY
nagapie says:
Breathtaking