Life As I See It With My Heart

By Thekra Luaibi

Translated by Mahmoud Abbas Masoud

None has deceived me

No one has let me down save myself

The echo of places

Swings in my memory

And the rust of waiting

Has caused my heart to deteriorate

***

All wells have run dry

So whence do these tears come

And well up in my eyes

***

The war has bequeathed me tears and destruction

Made me forget to comb my hair

I have even forgotten how to put the kohl in my eyes

And whenever I heavily cover my lips with lipstick, I tremble

*****

My apology

I have unintentionally made a mistake

Do you think there is a difference between

May you be happy forevermore

And

Nothing is left to look forward to

***

O these entombed mornings

For a memory replete with you

***

I embrace your shadow

While you pray in another sanctuary

***

I have thrown the backgammon cubes

And my luck was twenty one bullets

***

What does a homeland mean

Without you

**

How can travel be fascinating

When you will not be waiting for me

***

My only recourse now

Is to delay my funeral

Until chance strikes

And I meet you again

*Poet from Iraq. lives in UAE

**Translator from Syria. lives in USA