Chrysantemum For you I am a chrysantemum
Supernova, urgent star
Astera Compositae For you I’ll be a dandelion
A thousand flowerettes in the sky
Or just a drop in the ocean
If you know my name
don’t speak it out
it holds a power — as before
Liliacea A lily of the valley
a flower of saron
Helianthus annus For you I even be a sunflower
Do you hear my enlightening laughter?
another reason to cut off an ear
You know my name, do you not?
don’t say it
For it is sacred, immovable — frozen
Rosa, Anemone et Nymphea alba I’ll even be a waterlily,
a marygold, a rose
or a little thistle
Euphorbia a blue dahlia, a black tulip
that’s where opinions differ
the scholars disagree
My name, should you know it
remains unspeakable
and is spoken — malediction
[Last line in Libanese]