A love song to Australia is one of Charbel Baini's books translated by Paul Abdul Ahad

CANBERRA

-1-

I hang my love as a decoration on the trees

O, Canberra

A forest in a city

I thought I was (Griffin) the architect

And your land is the panel

Your buildings are the pens

But I couldn't draw

Don't reproach me

-2-

Your soil's smell perfumed forest

Fenced with mountains don't kneel

The snow landed on their rock

And cooled down

Burnt up its feelings

And spilled the moans

To warm up a lake, wider than the sea

-3-

Your blonde houses showered in the shade

And dried up with light green

Their trees dropped wet leaves

Baptised unmatched streets

Which spread its palms

As theatres for the air

**