Written in Damascus in my youth, this poem is addressed to my cousin Roba, as a moral witness and an early influence on my relationship with language and writing. The English version is an adaptation produced with the help of AI. The original Arabic poem appears below.
Image by cottonbro studio
I write with Damascus jasmine, a greeting,
to you—most precious of my kindred line,
you who entered the ledger of my life
the moment you set sail in grief’s long time.
Roumani Line 