Saya dahulu masa belajar di uiam, saya suka baca puisi Melayu dikarang ramai penyair. Mungkin saya jadi suka kepada perbahasan sastera yang sangat mengasyikkan. Tapi sebagai pelajar Bahasa Al-Quran, tidak dinafikan saya minat juga kepada puisi Arab. Antara penyair moden yang saya sempat baca puisi-puisinya ialah Mahmud Darwish. Beliau penyair bertaraf dunia, dan memang ia diakui cuma, puisi-puisi yang datang daripada Timur, barangkali kuranglah disebut-sebut. Tetapi puisi-puisinya begitu pepak dengan perbicaan berkenaan Palestin. Baru-baru ini, beliau dikhabarkan menemui Tuhan Azzawajalla. Ingatan kepada Mahmud Darwish yang sangat cintakan tanahairnya, Palestin. Al-Fatihah.

Di bawah ini salah sebuah puisi al-marhum.

Didn't Apologize to the Well

by Mahmoud Darwish Translated by Fady Joudah

I didn't apologize to the well when I passed the well,
I borrowed from the ancient pine tree a cloud
and squeezed it like an orange, then waited for a gazelle
white and legendary. And I ordered my heart to be patient:
Be neutral as if you were not of me! Right here
the kind shepherds stood on air and evolved
their flutes, then persuaded the mountain quail toward
the snare. And right here I saddled a horse for flying toward
my planets, then flew. And right here the priestess
told me: Beware of the asphalt road and the cars
and walk upon your exhalation. Right here
I slackened my shadow and waited, I picked the tiniest
rock and stayed up late. I broke the myth and I broke.
And I circled the well until I flew from myself
to what isn't of it. A deep voice shouted at me:
This grave isn't your grave. So I apologized.
I read verses from the wise holy book, and said
to the unknown one in the well: Salaam upon you the day
you were killed in the land of peace, and the day you rise
from the darkness of the well alive!

....