Come, my friend, and read
the pages of my heart.
It is an open book,
my heart.
There you will read
of my unhappiness,
of my defeats and humiliations.
You know them too, my friend?
You know this passion.
You know this rage,
and what it comes from.
So read this book.
Read, my friend.
The language is the one we know.
It's all written down
in the pages of my heart.
And every word is true.
Every word is written here
for you.
--- after Bziz (Ahmed Senoussi)

© 1995 by Edward Field

Edward Field's latest book is Counting Myself Lucky, Selected Poems 1963-1992 (Black Sparrow), which won a Lambda Award. He also edits The Alfred Chester Society Newsletter. Under the name of Bruce Elliot, he and Neil Derrick collaborate on fiction. Their books include Village (Avon). They have just completed a screenplay based on the life of Alfred Chester.