By Antarah ibn Shaddad, from War Songs, which will be published next month by NYU Press. Antarah was a pre-Islamic poet and warrior of the sixth century. Translated from the Arabic by James E. Montgomery with Richard Sieburth.

The crow,

beak like a pair of shears,

croaked.

I was afraid

they’d leave

and now they’re gone.

“Don’t let your chicks fly the nest

and leave you

lost and bereft,”