Buland Al-Haidari

(1926–1996) / Baghdad

Invocation

Two damaged arteries
The first in the heart
The other in my leg
What remains of my life has no remains
O God, free me from my shackles
From this night decaying in the depths of my soul
From footsteps still fleeing with me
From one exile to another
In a place or in no place
O my Lord
Lord of the universe
Save me from my dream to return
One day to my Iraq
For what remains of my country has no remains
It has, like me, no remains
Except in those black letters like crows
Or in yellowing pages
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