TAGHRID BOU MERHI

 

 

The Beginnings Of Existence

 

Before the first dawn,

before the memory of light,

silence floated upon a sleep without end.

 

There were no names for the sky or the earth,

no distance between darkness and eternity,

and no witness except the waiting void.

 

The universe was a closed eye dreaming of itself,

unaware that dreams could one day become matter and life.

 

Then something stirred within the depths of the unseen—

a trembling breath, a hidden pulse awakening in the unknown.

 

Light burst forth like a secret finally revealed,

and darkness scattered through endless corridors.

 

Stars were born from the fire of collision and longing,

and galaxies revolved slowly like prayers learning how to move.

 

Time unfolded its ancient wings and stretched across the newborn heavens, measuring the distance between beginning and becoming.

 

The oceans gathered their first reflections,

mountains rose from the slumber of stone,

and rain descended upon a world still learning the sound of its own voice.

 

Then humanity appeared—fragile and astonished—

carrying questions greater than the sky itself.

 

Why does existence breathe?

Who placed wonder within the human heart?

Why does the soul continue its search even after touching the light?

 

The wind whispered in reply:

"All creation is a melody still unfinished."

 

And the rivers answered in their silver echoes:

"Every living being is a fragment of the first miracle."

 

As for the stars, silent in their eternal distance,

they continue to burn like thoughts within the mind of infinity.

 

And since that moment,

the universe has never ceased to expand,

nor has the human spirit ceased to journey.

 

We are still walking through the first morning of creation,

gathering sparks from the ashes of mystery,

striving to understand why existence chose to blossom

rather than remain asleep forever.

 

At The Edge Of Ashes

 

On the brink of longing,

I turn my face within the wind of questions,

and plant in my chest a star that disciplines my darkness.

 

Who will restore to the lovers

their pulse lost between the ribs?

And who will awaken the flute

if it sleeps in the palm of its player?

 

I walk upon the ruins of my days

as though I were the last traveler toward meaning,

guided by the flutter of a heart

that still believes light

emerges from the seam of wounds.

 

O you who revolve in the orbit of visions,

slow down a little

the houses you abandoned

still hang your name

upon the lashes of dawn.

 

The doves guard your shadow,

and the trees, when they bend,

whisper the secrets of lovers.

 

Whenever I loosened the hair of my soul,

words ripened upon my lips,

and the sun shattered

into droplets of prayer.

 

Peace be upon me

on the day stone grows harsh against the flower,

and the voice of reproach rises

like a storm in the chest of the sea.

 

Her image leaves me,

and the letters leave their harbors;

my sanctuary becomes a void

where my name echoes.

 

O love, mystic in my blood,

take me to you

as incense is taken to its fire;

blend my breath with hers

until distance itself

becomes a bridge of light.

 

It is enough for me—my madness—

when I write my trembling,

and plant within my ashes a new branch,

perhaps it will sway

if her shadow passes

through the grove of the heart.

 

TAGHRID BOU MERHI

 

TAGHRID BOU MERHI IS a Lebanese-Brazilian poet, journalist, and translator. Her pen carries the echoes of multiple cultures, and her writing is infused with a profound humanistic spirit. Born in Lebanon, she currently lives in the city of Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, after having moved through several cultural stations, most notably eight years in Italy and two years in Switzerland, where she absorbed the richness of European culture and added a universal human dimension to her Arab literary heritage. She writes poetry, prose, articles, and academic studies, and is fluent in six languages: Arabic, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. This makes her one of the rare writers who move between languages and cultures with the lightness of a butterfly and the depth of a philosopher. To date, she has published 23 authored books and translated 51 books from multiple languages into Arabic and vice versa. She has also contributed to more than 550 Arabic and international anthologies. Her works have been translated into 49 languages, reflecting the global reach of her poetic and human voice. Taghrid Bou Merhi serves as Head of Translation Departments in several Arabic and international magazines. She is also the President of Ciesart Lebanon and holds honorary literary positions in international cultural organizations. She is an international poetry judge and an active participant in global literary festivals and cultural events. She has received dozens of awards in translation and literary creativity, and is considered one of the most prominent Arab female literary figures in the diaspora