The Jasmine Necklace
The Jasmine Necklace on pink paper in Nizar Qabbani’s neat hand. Courtesy of Yasmine Seale | قصيدة “طوق الياسمين” على ورق زهري بخط يد نزار قباني. مع الشكر للمترجمة
“Thank you for the jasmine necklace,”
you laughed, and I thought you knew
what it meant, this man’s gift of a garland
of jasmine. I thought you had understood.
.
You sat in a corner, brushing your hair,
drawing drops from a bottle of scent,
on your lips a tune, heartsick, French,
its complaint, like mine, pathetic.
.
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