Preliminary Sketch

Monday, January 16, 2012

Translated from Arabic by Fady Joudah

The talk that remained in the house, when we went out,
remained alone
and agitated
pacing its domains
like a stubborn wolf.

The talk that remained on the bed
and between the chairs,
in the mutterings of the hallway,
on the oil painting
and in the dice:
whenever I’d come back from my office,
where I’d lose a new day and a tomorrow,
I used to see it searching
like the mad
for a gap in silence.

I’d watch it as it unintentionally killed off its offspring.

Sunday, January 1, 2012