The Soul’s Dilemma Once again, each day, I travel the path of your love Every night without fail I mourn your absence anew. My soul lacks the courage to love one such as you- and my heart lacks the strength to abandon you too -‘Attar From Love’s Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition. New World…
Songs from Andalus
Fado: Casa de Fados (from Carlos Saura’s film Fados) Lyrics (from the film’s subtitles): First singer: A lost friendship can never return It’s a forged firendship That jokingly comes and goes It’s a forged friendship that jokingly comes and goes No one gives a thing If behind that gesture there is no value Only a…
Hafez- “Last night the wind brought…”
An interesting translation in rhyming verse… Last night, the wind brought wind of my Loved Friend who’d gone away. I too shall yield my heart unto the wind: let come what may. At length my loving comes to this: I have no confidant but blazing lightning every night and dawn wind…
Hafez- “For years my heart asked of me” Ghazal 143
One of my favorite poems from my favorite poet, rendered into excellent English verse-quite a feat. سالها دل طلب جام جم از ما می کرد آنچه خود داشت ز بیگانه تمنا می کرد “For years my heart inquired of me‚” BY HAFEZ TRANSLATED BY DICK DAVIS Read the translator’s notes For years my heart inquired of…
Aziz Mian-It doesn’t get much better than this…
Mein Kya Janu Raam “Oh God how can I figure out Your unfathomable ways?” Probably my favorite qawwal. The imagery, the rhythm, the sincere intensity, the pure poetry of the performance is almost overwhelming Every wise man has given up what strange disguises man has adopted in this curious world of Yours God how can…
Hafez- “I said I suffer for you” “گفتم غم تو دارم”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2peA7LFC4 I said, “I suffer because of you.” She said, “Your suffering will end.” I said, “Become my moon.” She said, “If it comes to pass.” I said, “From lovers learn the custom of loyalty.” She said, “Among the moon-faced ones this is rarely found.” I said, “I will barricade your image…
Hafez comes to life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUhaF1JI5r8 English version: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfgfaq_tongue-of-the-hidden-ten-poems-from-hafez_creation#.UTJYw1qc70g The Peacock Until your hair falls through the fingers of the breeze My yearning heart lies torn apart with grief Black as sorcery, your magic eyes Render this existence an illusion The dusky mole encircled by your curls Is like the ink-drop falling in the curve of the…
Before you talk to me about love…
Pick the stars like silver berries Peel the orange of the sun Lick the sugar off the moon Then tell me where this love’s come from…
Rumi-I can’t live without you
Translation: Franklin Lewis from: Rumi-Past and Present, East and West The Life Teachings and Poetry of Jalal ad-Din Rumi. One World: Oxford, 2000…
Bamba
The moon fell in the desert’s lap Its dark dunes birthed a brilliant white His face burned bright black from love’s flames The longing of the depth of night A blackness pure, so dazzling Its shadow is the morning light The sun squints at his face, blinking Straining so hard to catch his sight His…