Fire your bullets — our hearts are already ablaze
In this land, grief wells up from my distress
Fire your bullets — you villain — for I
Won’t play at murder or run away
My blood fertilises and refreshes this land
And plants a promising generation that is fully conscious
Limbs grow from seeds of shrapnel
Hands are formed and crowns spring
That bet this land will always be their home —
In every corner they stand their ground
Wherever I am, this land is my passion
Nostalgia is fused with this timeless love
I don’t care if there are explosions
I don’t mind the annihilating thunder
Translated by Joel Mitchell. Culled from The Poetry Translation Workshop.
Mbarka Mint al-Barra’ is a Mauritanian poet and teacher who writes primarily in Arabic. A prominent figure in the cultural and literary life of her country, she has achieved some renown elsewhere in the Arab world, frequently attending literary festivals in other Arab countries.
