Mahmoud Darwish 

On This Earth

We have on this earth what makes life worth living: 
April’s hesitation, 
the aroma of bread at dawn,
a woman’s points of view about men,
the works of Aeschylus,
the beginning of love,
grass on a stone,
mothers standing on a flute’s thread
and the invaders’ fear of memories.

We have on this earth what makes life worth living:
the end of September,
a woman leaving her forties with all her blossom,
the hour of sunlight in prison,
a cloud mimicking a flock of creatures,
the searching of a people for those who go laughing to their death,
and the tyrants’ fear of songs.

We have on this earth what makes life worth living.
On this earth, the Lady of Earth,
mother of all beginnings, mother of all ends.
She was called Palestine. Her name became Palestine.
My Lady, because you are my Lady, I deserve to live.