Why do you erase history
Stop the movement of the ages
And kill within me
All other women,
One by one?

                      …

Why do I give you
Of all women
The keys to my cities,
Which have never opened their gates
To any tyrant,
Which have never before opened themselves
To any woman?
Why do I ask my soldiers
To receive you with songs
And laurels
And to crown you
With melodies and bells
Princess for life?

Translation by Bassam K. Frangieh
and Clementina R. Brown