Romeo in Old Age Fadhil al-Azzawi
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Flame of sixty years,
if I wept nightly over my loss
who will water my tears?
Who will raise life out of death?
Who will believe me if I said, “Flowers
grow and laugh on my banks”?
I am the prophet of passion. This is my confession.
Let the boys laugh at me:
Romeo without Juliet,
O Juliet relent.
Dear God, inspire her
for you are the sun in the night
of the old and spent.
A retired man who is not good at chess
spends his nights swearing by the stars,
but the night star has set.
