LAST WISH

LAST WISH

Inayat Attar

O wind,
I begged you so often–
and always you showed me
your furious face.
This is the last time
I beg you:
take me in your hand
and carry me with you
to the borders,
but don’t hand me
to the border guards.
Place a hammock
between our olive trees
and lay me in it.
Lull me
and then whistle
a cradlesong.

HUSSEIN HABASCH, KURDISTAN (SYRIA) 1948
Translation Hussein Habasch – Germain Droogenbroodt