Ghazal 8: The House Of Wine Poem by Hafiz of Shiraz

Ghazal 8: The House Of Wine



Again into gardens and orchards, the vernal glory arose;
The melodious bulbul received news of a coming rose

Breeze! If you blow again at the meads green of age,
Greet for me the cypress, the rose and the sweet sage.

If the tavern boy allows his charm and grace to shine
With my eyelashes, I will sweep the house of wine

With ambergris, you draw arched brows on your visage;
Pray, hurl me not in perplexity, into throes of your siege

I fear a horde that scoffs the drinkers of wine residue
Lest they end up in a frail faith, a sorry sight to view

Befriend the men of God; for, in Noah's Ark lay,
A little dust, an entire deluge of rain did outweigh

Abandon this abode and seek not your whims to sate
For, its mean Host shall send its guests to deathly fate

To him who will inherit a handful of dust wherein to lie,
Say, 'Why do you need a manor with pillars sky nigh? '

My Canaanite beauty! The throne of Egypt is yours:
Now is time to bid farewell to your prison sores.

Hafiz! Drink wine, be a lecher and leave where grief lies
Beware! Recite not − as others − the Qur'an to disguise

English Translation © Ali Salami
Tehran, Iran
salami2046@gmail.com

Saturday, October 18, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: mystical
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success