Grey Hair - Ashjan Al Hendi

Jasmine fixed its heart in her braid
a flowering rivulet
touched her hair
the flavor of perfume
slept on her breath
rose quarreled over the bouquet of her laugh
she glanced at her face in the mirror
dissolving the show of its sugar
surveying the pallor of her blueness
she arranged the wave of her gown
she fixed the color of her posture
her branches are preparing now
for dancing among her attractions
she knows that the branches of roses
are broken by the fire of their jealousy
and that violet has courted her
to share with it her charm
and the pink flower has deceived her
to share with it her secret
she knows that time’s pursuing her
drunk with the goblets of her end
and she knows
her life’s story would be shrouded
when her mirror’s tears
mourn the grey hair in her braid.

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Ashjan Al Hendi (20th century) Saudi Arabia
Translated by Abdulla Al-Harrasi with Adrian Roscoe
Source: Blackbird