Qabbani's "Five letters to my mother"

In honour of Mother's day in the Arab world, I'll leave you with an excerpt from "Five letters to my mother", from a shared love between myself and my own mother, the great Syrian poet, Nizar Qabbani. If there is a single intrinsic symbolic experience at the heart of mankind, it is undoubtedly the overwhelming desire for return, and what better way to express this theme than by the hauntingly nostalgic adoration of the sacred source inherent in Qabbani's poetry.


"Good morning sweetheart.
Good morning my Saint of a sweetheart.
It has been two year mother
since the boy has sailed
on his mythical journey.
Since he hid within his luggage
the green morning of his homeland
and her stars, and her streams,
and all of her red poppy.
Since he hid in his cloths
bunches of mint and thyme,
and a Damascene Lilac. 
    
I am alone.
The smoke of my cigarette is bored,
and even my seat of me is bored
My sorrows are like flocking birds looking for a grain field in season.
I became acquainted with the women of Europe,
I became acquainted with their tired civilization.
I toured India, and I toured China,
I toured the entire oriental world,
and nowhere I found,
a Lady to comb my golden hair.
A Lady that hides for me in her purse a sugar candy.
A lady that dresses me when I am naked,
and lifts me up when I fall.
Mother: I am that boy who sailed,
and still longes to that sugar candy.
So how come or how can I, Mother,
become a father and never grow up."