Upon this shore my unsure feet stand
Slowly sinking into soft sand
Seashells shine as they catch sunlight
And drifted wood is washed all but white

Seagulls swoop from skies and soar
Birds and prey at a natural war
The sunrise glow fades
Air grows hot
In warm display beach is caught

Illuminates the sea below
From surface to undertow
A gentle ocean breeze waltzes by
As if the water breathes with a sigh

Enhancing sunbeams that darken my skin
Tranquility I am soaking in
This morning view so peaceful and bright
Where all is well within my sight

How many summer days remaining to waste?
When snow arrives I'll miss the taste
Of saltwater bitter on my tongue
The cool sensation filling my lungs

Upon this shore I memorize
The horizon distant from my eyes
The light outside fights the darkness within
And my cares float out as the tide rolls in

Back to expressed emotion,she would be distant!

if only you knew
the things i'd do for you
the things i've done for you

if only you knew
the pain i've felt on my feet
all those days spent
cleaning, cooking and entertaining

if only you knew
that i didn't have any pancake mix
but found a way to satisfy your cravings
because i wanted you to be happy

if only you knew
how tired i was
my body was shutting down
but my mind was racing with
thoughts of you

if only you knew
the time, energy and effort spent
all to just impress you and give
you a good time

if only you knew
the insane extra charge to deliver
a box of cupcakes for your mom
on mother's day but you didn't show up

if only you knew
how much i wanted to spend
time with you even if it was just
for ten minutes but it never happened

if only you knew
how much i wanted to hug you
or be near you to show you how much
you mean to me but you seemed distant

if only you knew
how willing i am,
how i'd go the ends of the earth for you,
how i'd write poems about you,
show you how you should be loved,
how much i care for you,
and how i'd give you more than the world
i'd give you the universe.

if you only just knew.

i loved you
when the sun
still rose in the west,
when caterpillars
hadn't grown
their wings yet.

i loved you
in cherry lips—
in almond kiss,
in dreamy eyes,
in youthful bliss.

now, my distant heart
could only love you
in heavy mist,
in forlorn might,
in fleeing light,
in vague hindsight—
of what was right.

Carry me away to some distant land That I could call, the City of Roses.

Where I would solve the mystery of love With wine without a whine.

This Distant Light
by Walid Khazindar
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Bitterly cold,
winter clings to the naked trees.

If only you would free
the bright sparrows
from your fingertips
and release a smile―that shy, tentative smile―
from the imprisoned anguish I see.

Sing! Can we not sing
as if we were warm, hand-in-hand,
sheltered by shade from a sweltering sun?

Can you not always remain this way,
stoking the fire: more beautiful than expected, in reverie?

Darkness increases and we must remain vigilant
since this distant light is our sole consolation ...
this imperiled flame, which from the beginning
has constantly flickered,
in danger of going out.

Come to me, closer and closer.
I don't want to be able to tell my hand from yours.
And let's stay awake, lest the snow smother us.

Walid Khazindar was born in Gaza City. He is considered to be one of the very best Palestinian poets; his poetry has been said to be "characterized by metaphoric originality and a novel thematic approach unprecedented in Arabic poetry." He was awarded the first Palestine Prize for Poetry in 1997. Keywords/Tags: Arabic, translation, Arab, Palestine, Palestinian, Gaza, distant, light, flame, fire, autumn, winter, trees, birds, sparrows, fingertips, smile, sing, shade, sun, fire, darkness, hand, hands, snow