Walid Abdallah‘s translation of his own poem: The wall (Arabic to English)


Before every dream, there is a wall

So high, we long to collapse or fall


I believe, one day this wall will be gone

We will unite together and have our own suns


Even if this wall separates us today

I will keep looking for the ray of hope


Only to see that smile on your face

Drown into your hug, my warm place


Making up for all the hard days passed before

Showing you my love and care more and more


I dream about your smile day and night

Having you in my embrace and before my sight


You are away from me, but in my heart you reside

You live in my mind and that eyes cannot hide


You are the first and the last thought on my mind

You are the only love my heart was struggling to find


Your love gives me strength and power to survive

A touch of your hand makes me feel alive


You have become the secret of my happiness

You have become the love all words I fail to express


When our hearts really want, fate will respond

It is a matter of time before our eternal bond


I believe the patient should be rewarded in the end

That is God's promise and all the wishes my heart send


One day, we will be together forever

And start our journey that ends at never


Walid Abdallah is an Egyptian poet and author. He is a visiting professor of English language and literature in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany and the USA, his poetry includes “Go Ye Moon”, “The Queen of my Heart”, ” Dream” and “My Heart Oasis”. His books include Shout of Silence, Escape to the Realm of Imagination, The Egyptian Lane and Man Domination and Woman Emancipation, Arc and Seam and his co-translations with Andy Fogle of Farouk Goweda’s poetry have previously appeared in Image, RHINO, Reunion: Dallas Review, and Los Angeles Review. These translations won prestigious prizes in the USA like “Cause”, “Egypt’s Grief”, and “Strangers’ Cross”.

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