Wounds to the Wind

Rachida Madani is a Moroccon poet & novelist, born 1951 in Tangiers where she still lives.

Here is a poem from Blessures au vent (Wounds to the Wind):

You did not come into the world
to see your bones bleach
in the white waters
of a Bou-Regreg
nor to contemplate your shadow diminishing
on the roads of distress.
Set yourself aflame at my voice, brother
I have the happy privilege
to sow the lightning storm.
Stand up and scream your night
if you dare
lift it above your shaky head
and throw it on the ground
if you dare
night breaks like glass!
then let your kif talk
you own the bouquet of prophecy
when you sing the catastrophes…
Stand up brother
each supine sun
is a dead man.

(translated by Pierre Joris)

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