Live Encounters Arab Poetry & Writing April 2025
Secret Poems, poem by Mostafa Abada.
Translated from Arabic by Dr. Salwa Gouda.
Secret Poems
1
Instead of closing the door and crying
I wander through forgotten alleys and lanes
And I always come across a lonely café
Where two or three people sit:
A sad husband, a cleaner, and his friend
When silence breaks at the sight of a stranger
Memories pour over us
The husband hums along to Najat the singer :
“And in the middle of the road, we stopped and bid farewell, my heart.”
The cleaner complains with pleasure and dreams:
“I sweep everything, and sorrow sweeps me.”
And I, along with the friend who bears a scar
Await the mermaid
Struggling to hold back tears.
I always chatter with strangers
Instead of closing the door and crying.
2
I envy the rooftops of houses.
I love them even if they’re disorganized
Spacious and crowded
Holding remnants of people
Traces of souls and scents
They fear neither the sun nor the rain
They give the air meaning
And lovers fleeting pleasures
Safe even for scorpions
They reject no one and nothing
Everything remains as it is
Until the whole house collapses
Then the place returns to its original state
Forever open to the sun, the air
And the whims of Adam
I contemplate the rooftops and sing
Instead of closing the door and crying.
3
All this filth—
The beautiful, easy, defiant ones
And the ugly ones who treated me
As if they were the beauty queens of the earth
Waiting for my gratitude for every touch
And I am grateful anyway
I never stop being grateful
Despite my history filled with mistakes and disappointments
I have flaws that rank me among the angels
A drop of blood falls from my nose in the evening
And I cry in my sleep
Until I wake up clean
My limbs tremble in the morning
Rejoicing at a new chapter of filth
I’ve fought many battles and won
I curse myself in secret
And chatter with any passerby
Instead of closing the door and crying.
© Mostafa Abada
Translated from Arabic by Dr Salwa Gouda. She is an accomplished Egyptian literary translator, critic, and academic affiliated with the English Language and Literature Department at Ain Shams University. Holding a PhD in English literature and criticism, Dr. Gouda pursued her education at both Ain Shams University and California State University, San Bernardino. She has authored several academic works, including Lectures in English Poetry and Introduction to Modern Literary Criticism, among others. Dr. Gouda also played a significant role in translating The Arab Encyclopedia for Pioneers, a comprehensive project featuring poets, philosophers, historians, and literary figures, conducted under the auspices of UNESCO. Recently, her poetry translations have been featured in a poetry anthology published by Alien Buddha Press in Arizona, USA. Her work has also appeared in numerous international literary magazines, further solidifying her contributions to the field of literary translation and criticism.
Mostafa Ebada (born 1965) is an acclaimed Egyptian journalist, poet, essayist, and literary critic. He currently serves as the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram Al Arabi Magazine and holds the position of cultural advisor for several prominent Egyptian publishing houses, including The Egyptian Lebanese House, Al-Mahrousa Center, and Dar Batana. With a prolific career spanning multiple creative fields, Ebada has authored over 10 books encompassing poetry collections, cultural studies, and literary critiques, solidifying his reputation as a versatile and influential figure in contemporary Arabic literature.