Romeo in Old Age Fadhil al-Azzawi

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.