Darvish Khan Writes

last night the violet spoke to the rose and gave a good hint-
so and so’s tresses you know have given my curls to the world!

my heart was a treasury of secrets, but the hand of fate
shut the door, and turned the key over to the thief of hearts!

broken, i arrived at your court that the physician
show me the healing salve of your kindness.

he passed poor me and remarked to the rivals-
alas, my beggarly lover! how his spirit expires!

may good fortune give sound body and happy heart
to him whose friendly hand gives good justice!

get lost, and eat your own medicine (you quack)-
for whom wine and beloved are nothing but a loss!

Print Friendly

last night i had a dream in which the moon arose,
and brought to an end separation from her face.

the explanation?  the traveling friend had returned.
o that she had so much sooner arrived by the door!

o saqi, the thought of you sublime, my happy omen!
you who arrives continually with glass and wine!

happy it were, for him to see in dream his own country,
so that the memory of its ways would serve as a guide to us.

if timeless grace were by power and pillage had,
khezar’s immortal youth would be iskandar’s.

remember the days when by our door and roof,
with each breath came a poem from the beloved!

how did your rival find such cruel occasions
if, at night, just one injustice found the judge’s door?

what do the raw ones know of love’s taste?
seek the ocean of heart and become lion hearted!

he who led you to a hard heart,
let his foot go bang a rock!

if another had written in the style of hafez,
the art-loving shah would have accepted him.

notes: khezar= immortal guide to the sufi. iskandar=
alexander the great (who died young).

Print Friendly

All of your form beautiful and all about you joyous-
and my heart happy with lips of sparkling sugar.

Like a fresh rose petal is your delicate presence,
and like the cypress of heaven are you all graceful.

Your tricks and play all sweet, cheek and mole lovely,
eye and brow beautiful, height and waist gorgeous.

I see a garden full of your playing image
and your curls fill my heart with jasmine.

In the way of love you can’t avoid the flood of longing,
and in desiring you I have made my heart joyous.

I die before your sight because this pain
of longing for your bright face makes me joyous.

At each step danger in the desert of our search-
but heartless Hafez walks happily in your protection.

Print Friendly

We didn’t taste her sweet red lips, and now she’s gone.
We didn’t see enough of her moon like face, and now she’s gone.

Maybe our talk exhausted her to nothing?
She packed up- we couldn’t reach her, and she’s gone.

However much we recited prayers and koranic verse,
And blew most special and holy surah after her, she’s gone.

She was coy, and said- I won’t leave this path of blame.
You see, how, in the end, we bought such deceit- she’s gone.

She moved in the field of beauty and grace, but
We didn’t walk to the garden of union, and she’s gone.

Like Hafez, we cried and cried and moaned all night
That we did not arrive to say goodbye, and she’s gone.

Print Friendly

drunk and curls confused, sweaty and laughing
shirt torn, singing and glass in hand-

with brawling eye and regretful lip
he came to my bed at night and sat.

head lowered to my ear he said in sorrow,
ancient lover of mine- do you sleep?

a lover to whom such a cup is given at dawn,
betrays love if he will not worship wine.

get lost ascetic! and don’t fault those who drink it all-
this gift only were we served since time began!

whether the wine of heaven or the drink of drunks,
what he poured into our cups we drank.

how often the wine cup’s laugh and the lover’s curl
have smashed the regret of hafez’s repentance!

Print Friendly

This good messenger who arrived from the friend’s place,
And who brought the friend’s musky letter which revives

Joyfully gives signs of the companion’s beauty and power,
So that in our search the heart has hope of the friend.

I gave him my heart for the news, but was ashamed
Of the bad coin strewn for sake of the friend.

Thank god for the assistance of skillful fate
That the friend’s care and concern is according to love.

What choice do the turning sphere and changing moon have?
They revolve on account of the friend’s authority.

If a ferocious wind should smash the two world’s together,
We, the eye’s candle and longing for the friend will remain.

Bring me, o dawn breeze, the precious kohl
Of that blest dirt the friend has walked upon.

If the enemy speaks of Hafez’s intention- so what!
By grace of god, I am not ashamed of the friend!

Print Friendly

Where the news of union with you, that I can rise above life?
I am the holy bird who will escape the snare of the world.

By your grace should you call me your slave,
I would renounce the mastery of time and place.

O lord, send rain from the cloud of guidance
Before I blow away in swirling dust!

Sit at the head of my grave with wine and song
Until with scent of you, I arise dancing from my death.

Arise and reveal your stature, O sweet moving idol
So that like Hafez I might pass beyond life and world.

Although I am old, draw me this night into your tight embrace,
That in the morning I might arise from your side young.

Print Friendly

if the dust from my beloved’s feet were to assist me,
it would write the letters of suffering before my eyes.

if his command were to reach me in search of truth,
at once, like the candle, in a breath, i would expire.

although the friend does not transmute the heart,
i swear i count out good coin in his path.

don’t brush my dust off your coat- even
the wind won’t carry my anguish out the door.

i am drowned by desire of your side yet hope
the wave of my tears will carry me to your arms.

today, don’t turn from my promise but think
of that night in sorrow when i held my hands high in praise.

your long black hair is the comfort of lovers-
it gives such security, but it takes away all my peace!

o wind, bring me a scent from that cup of wine!
that scent holds the cure for my aching head.

hafez, his red lips are for me dear life itself-
may they be mine that moment when i expire!

Print Friendly