An extract from my 2007 diary, where I took my first (and only) shot at crafting a Shakespearean sonnet (at al-Baath University in Homs) —revised on 8 October 2024.
Homs –
On a stormy day, along the street,
I walked alone beneath the rain.
The wind, so fierce, swept through my feet,
While in my ears, cold echoed pain.
I glanced to the left, and saw a tree,
Where sat a bird, as black as night.
It perched in silence, just like me,
Both waiting for the sun’s first light.
The sun returned, and the bird took flight,
Its wings a blur, the shadows gone.
My tears dissolved in morning’s light,
As my heart braced for the coming dawn.
And though I walk this road alone,
I press ahead, for life goes on.
Roumani Line 