TAGHRID BOU MERHI

 

Wings Of Friendship

 

At the edge of night your face rises, my friend,

like a lantern dispelling the fear of darkness.

 

We walk together upon broken roads,

and become bridges for one another, not barriers.

 

Enmity is a cold wind,

but friendship is a sun that melts the ice.

 

When a human is lost in the crowd of humanity,

only the eyes of a friend can see his heart.

 

Friendship is a book written in the letters of the soul,

not by languages, but inscribed by honesty.

 

How many wounds have healed with a companion’s smile,

and how many nights turned into day by his presence.

 

It is not a pledge upon paper,

but roots that strike deep into the soil of time.

 

A friend who shares your tear of loss

is more precious than all the treasures of the earth.

 

And in the hour of triumph, his voice is with you,

not above you, but rising with you.

 

Friendship is the scale of justice between souls,

whoever abandons it, strays from his humanity.

 

Wars may defeat us,

yet true friendship rebuilds the cities.

 

Borders may divide us,

yet a word of love breaks a thousand fences.

 

Friendship is a sail upon the sea of life,

steering us far from the drowning of hatred.

 

It is a prayer unbound by any faith,

a music no wall can silence.

 

When we laugh together, a new sun is born,

and when we weep together, the heart grows pure.

 

How beautiful to have a mirror,

that reflects us without deceit or fear.

 

A friend is a homeland that travels with us,

we carry it in our hearts wherever we go.

 

The body may die,

but true friendship gives birth to a thousand lives.

 

Let us be for each other luminous homes,

not prisons of darkness.

 

For only friendship can mend this world,

and leave tomorrow with a more human humanity.

© TAGHRID BOU MERHI - LEBANON - BRAZIL

 

True Friend

 

A true friend, your presence pours light upon my days

like the sun that revives the earth after a long winter.

 

You hear my silence before my words,

and read my heart before I speak my dreams.

 

In laughter you are with me,

in silence you guard my weakness with patience.

 

When roads collapse before me,

you build bridges of trust and care.

 

You know that tears are not weakness,

and that joy grows when shared together.

 

You do not judge my wounds,

nor gaze upon my mistakes with scorn.

 

Your presence eases the loneliness of the world,

and your smile plants hope in my dark days.

 

In you I find honesty without embellishment,

and loyalty without conditions.

 

A true friend, you are the mirror of the soul,

restoring my image when I lose myself.

 

Even when the world grows angry,

your hand remains extended, your heart open.

 

You teach me that trust is not a word,

but a continuous act, a lasting embrace, sincere listening.

 

With a true friend, I know the meaning of safety,

and I discover that one can truly be human.

 

You are the story that never ends,

and the light that never fades from my days.

© TAGHRID BOU MERHI - LEBANON - BRAZIL

 

TAGHRID BOU MERHI

 

TAGHRID BOU MERHI: Taghrid Bou Merhi is a renowned Lebanese-Brazilian poet, writer, author, editor, essayist, translator, and media professional. She holds a Master’s degree in Law and has published more than twenty-three books spanning poetry, short stories, and critical studies. Her works reflect a profound engagement with social, philosophical, and humanistic themes, and have been translated into forty-seven languages, appearing in over two hundred international anthologies. In addition to her literary creations, Taghrid has translated more than forty-five books by prominent global authors and over 2,000 poems, essays, and critical studies, contributing to cross-cultural dialogue and literary exchange. She serves as editor and contributor to over ten Arab and international literary magazines and holds leadership roles in major cultural organizations, including President of CIESART Lebanon, head of the Translated Literature Department at the World Union of Arab Writers, and head of Translation at the Platform of Shām Writers. She is also editor-in-chief of Raseef81 magazine and contributing editor to Pencraft Literary Magazine. Taghrid’s contributions have been recognized with numerous international awards, including the Naji Naaman Literary Prize and Nizar Sartawi Translation Award and First prize in the Zhang Nian Cup. Her work continues to inspire and connect readers worldwide, demonstrating the transformative power of literature, translation, and cultural collaboration.