Saleh Mousuf

Still I draw breath
Not merely to exist in fleeting moments
But through crises and struggles untold
Through endless battles fought
As life marches ever forward
Toward destinations unknown and untamed.
Now I yearn for peace
On this battlefield called life
No more do I wish to breathe
The bitter air of gunpowder and war
No more the smoke of endless strife.
Still I draw breath
Not merely to exist in silence
Now I shall fling open the cage door wide
And in the luminous moonlit night
With boundless joy in my heart
My soul's white dove shall take flight
Soaring free in the endless sky.
I shall venture forth to churn the cosmic ocean
Into the depths of the celestial sea
Searching for life's sweet nectar
I'll surrender to the dancing waves
And cleanse myself in the sacred salt spray.
Still I draw breath
Not merely to exist in shadows
I shall celebrate this precious life
Living through the melody of songs
Through the whispers of poetry
Through the tenderness of love
Embracing life itself
In pure, boundless love alone.
For in each dawn I find new meaning
In every sunset, stories untold
My heart beats not just to keep time
But to compose life's sweetest rhyme
Through love that knows no bounds
Through words that touch the soul
I live, I love, I soar
Until the final evening falls
And my spirit joins the eternal song.

Translated by Nurur Rahim Noman