Khalid al-Maaly, born in as-Samawa, Iraq in 1956 is a leading Arab writer, poet and publisher.
The well had dried
the bucket came up empty
and we had travelled far
meeting neither beast
...
I had wanted to forget
to go back on foot
the road at noon
taking me home
...
The tree spoke.
It showed me its name
from which I took
a single letter
...
Now as I pass on the road
I see the one night fastened
to its day. I speak
...