Tribute to Mahmoud Darwish

Once again

the killers sleep
under my skin
and the Gallows become
a flag
or
a spike
in the sky of the burning forest
the shadow removed her hands from my forehead
then we hid at midday
once again
the soldier passes by
under my skin
once again
he covers my lip
in the wrinkles of the national hymn !
the shadow removed her hands from my forehead
then we hid at midday
once again
The martyrs are fleeing
the poets songs
once again
we got off our crucifix
then we found no land
and saw no sky
the shadow removed her hands from my forehead
and we hid at midday
once again
we united
myself , the murderer and the hostile death
my freedom became a burden
over my heart
and her eyes became exiles and countries
once again
the water is lost in the clouds
and we are called for war
the shadow removed her hands from my forehead
then we hid at midday
They killed her at midday
instead of me
and they didn’t arrest me
once again
for the killers are under my skin

Mahmoud Darwish
13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008
My own translation