Where are you and how have you been?
You, who has left their home
Everyday, I kohl my eyes with your home 1
I walk in the market and look at your abandoned home
Where are you, lantern of this house?
After you, the whole world has turned off
There’s no lights in the streets
Where are you?
My love, my love, I remember you well 2
I see you as green pastures and I can smell your scent of nowairs3
The flowers have withered after the gardener has left - who’ll water it?
Come, come back - if there’s any time left in my life, I want to see you then
Where are you, lantern of this house?
After you, the whole world has turned off
There’s no light in the streets
Where are you?
A year has finished and a new one begins
And you’ve forgotten us, definitely
Oh God, in this world, we never get any letters or mail
And you’re so far, you avoid the street and I’m the only one on it
And all that’s left is a steel door
Where are you, lantern of this house?
After you, the whole world has turned off
There’s no light in the streets
Where are you?
1. In Arabic, to kohl your eyes with something means to look at it and enjoy its beauty2. This literally is ‘I remember you good’ which actually means I remember that you were good or I remember our good times. It doesn’t mean I remember you well but I ask you put this down to poetic license or perhaps suggest a better translation3. The nowair or nowwair is a small flowering plant found in the desert and is considered the national flower of Kuwait. It looks like a little yellow daisy. I assume it smells nice