774 | Tryst

Painting by Leon Santiago, Puerto Rico-USA

Tryst

She who accompanied me yesterday

At first call, after years of absence

She hugged me warmly in front of the guards

Then she withdrew her fingers and ran

I followed her and she tied her short hair

On a high bridge and jumped

My life jumped after her

As a teardrop of a captain

Witnessing his ship vanishing

And he does nothing

Only stares at his severed legs.

Abdul-Aziz Jassim – UAE

Translation from Arabic: Adel Khozam

From “La lezom le” 1995