Rural Poems is one of Charbel Baini's books translated from Arabic into English

Oof... Oof

 

Stop, coachman...

We have arrived.

Welcome, O spring village... welcome.

The longing that torments me is capable of killing me!

How are the swallows,

The tiles,

And the hills? 

My beloved did not come with me,

But I carried her picture.

I feel like a stranger...

Where are the people?!

Loneliness is a torment, woe is me!

Why don't I try singing?

"Oof... oof, how annoying I am!"

Why don't I try playing an instrument?

The violin... here it is...

"Tum... tum... tum..."

The universe began to sway.

The violin is me...

Although I would prefer to be an organ!

**