If you are my friend

by Nizar Qabbani

If you are my friend
Help me...to leave you...
Or if you are my lover...
Help me!So I can be healed of yuu...
If I knew...
that the ocean is very deep...
I would not have swam.
If I knew,,,how I could end
I would not have began...

I desire you...so teach me not to desire
teach me...
how to cut the roots of your love from the depth
teach me...
how tears may die in the eyes
and love may commit suicide...

If you are prophet
Cleanse me from this spell,
Deliver me from this atheism
Your love is like atheism...so purify me
from this atheism...

If you are strong,
Rescue me from this ocean
For I don't know how to swim
The blue waves,in your eyes

drag me ...to the depths...

blue...blue...nothing but the colour blue...

And I have no experience in love...and no boat...

If I am dear to you,
Then take my hand
For I am filled with desire...
from my head,to my feet...
I am breathing under the water...

I am drowning...drowning....

Hands

picture by Kahlil Gibran