Mansour Rahbani

Two Poems by poet Mansour Rahbani

Don’t Let Them Take Me Away

I went away… without saying goodbye .
I am angry at myself
Once before
you were with me and I lost you
For twenty years I have been
without you
I searched the world for you ,
while you were in my heart
And I never saw you !

And when we met ,
this cruel life
had reached
the precipice .
Oh , at the end of the stroll !
Do we meet … or not meet ?
Oh , for one who knows
what is left … and what is not …

And you ,
who are more beautiful
than beauty,
don’t let them take me
and run away .
I hear their voices in the wilderness
They become distant
they draw close,
Tell them : “ he’s still a boy,
only yesterday he was growing
on the front steps …”
It’s all right , lie once in a while.
Please … for my sake
Lie this time .
I beg you ,
I don’t want to go away .
It’s now that I’ve come
to know the world
and you are the world .
Damn this life !
It finds it too excessive
that I sun myself ,
but a year,
in your
green eyes !

Neither One Is staying With The Other

The boy said to his father :
- Why , father , are you staring
so hard at me ?
Are you perhaps thinking
of leaving ?
the father said :
- where would I want to go , my son ?
I am staying with you,
I play at home with you ,
You become agitated … I calm you down .
You uncover yourself … I cover you .
We have gold , son ,
We have chandeliers
and toys.
Ask for life
I would give you of my life .
You want the moon
I’ll bring it down
To entertain you .
Where would I want to go ,
while I have the world in you ?
The boy said to his father :
- No … father ,
you are lying to me .
Neither one is staying with the other .
Look at the toys , they have fled
into the wall .
and the wall is pulling away
from the other wall .
I am running …
You are running …
Where to , father?
Who is chasing us?
And why are we running?

ذكرى الحب حب

لملمت ذكرى لقاء الأمس بالهدب ورحت أحضنها في الخافق التعب
أيد تلوح من غيب وتغمرني بالدفء والضوء، بالأقمار والشهب
ما للعصافير تدنو، ثم تسألني: أهملت شعرك، راحت عقدة القصب
رفوفها وبريق في تلفتها تثير بي نحوها بعضا ً من العتب
حيرى أنا يا أنا، والعين شاردة أبكي وأضحك في سري بلا سبب
أهواه؟... من قال؟ اني ما ابتسمت له دنا، فعانقني شوق الى الهرب
نسيت من يده أن أسترد يدي طال السلام وطالت رفة الهدب
حيرى أنا يا أنا، أنهد متعبة خلف الستائر في اعياء مرتقب
أهو الهوى؟ يا هلا ان كان زائرنا يا عطر خيم على الشباكم والسكب

منصور الرحباني