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…
عـرفت الهـوى مذ عرفت هـواك واغـلـقـت قلـبـي عـمـن سـواك I’ve known love since I’ve known your love I’ve closed my heart to all but you وقمت اناجيـــك يـــا من تــرى …
My lover asks me: “What is the difference between me and the sky?” The difference, my love, Is that when you laugh, I forget about the sky. -Nizar Qabbani…
a picture is worth a thousand words, and a gif like this is worth a poem….
La Noche Oscura Del Alma San Juan De La Cruz Cançiones del alma que se goça d’auer llegado al alto estado de la perfecçion, que es la union con Dios, por el camino de la negaçion espiritual En una noche obscura, con ansias en amores imflamada, ¡oh dichosa uentura! sali sin ser notada, estando ya…
الحلاج Al-Hallaj ثلاثيات Thulathiyat, the Trinities سكوت ثم صمت ثم خرس Quiet then muteness then silence وعلم ثم وجد ثم رمس Knowledge then ecstasy then grave وطين ثم نار ثم نور Clay then fire then light و برد ثم ظل ثم شمس Cold then shadow then sun وحزن…
The meter and recitation of this Pre-Islamic masterpiece are simply spellbinding…
The story goes that when Timurlane conquered Shiraz, he questioned Hafez about the first bayt of this poem, saying it was an insult to his royal majesty for Hafez to think so little of his magnificent cities, Samarkand and Bukhara. The poet replied, “Alas, O Prince, it is this prodigality which is the cause of the…
One of the better English translations of one of my favorite poems from the greatest poet, Hafez: Your lost Joseph will return to Canaan, do not grieve This house of sorrows will become a garden, do not grieve Oh grieving heart, you will mend, do not despair This frenzied mind will return to calm, do…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwOZvUch2pE Translation: Rememb’ring the belovèd, wine we drink Which drunk had made us ere the vine’s creation. A sun it is; the full moon is its cup; A crescent hands it round; how many stars Shine forth from it the moment it be mixed! But for its fragrance ne’er had I been guided Unto…
