Water, Poet: Sohrab Sepehri Poem by Mehraneh Hosseini

We shouldn’t muddy the water
A pigeon may drink it down the road
Or in a far away grove a starling may bathe
Or in the village, a jug may be filled

We shouldn’t muddy the water
This running water may feed a poplar and
wash away sadness from a heavy heart
A dervish may dip his dry bread in it

A pretty woman may come to the river bank
We shouldn’t muddy the water
The beauty will be doubled

What refreshing water!
What limpid river!

How pure the uptown people are
May their springs always boil and their cows always milk!
I have not seen their village
But, no doubt, god walks along their wattles
The Moon, over there, lights the width of words
No doubt, uptown, the walls are short
Their people know what a poppy is
No doubt, over there, blue is blue
The people know when a flower blooms
What a village it would be!
May its garden alleys be filled with music!

The people from the head of the river know water.
They did not muddy it
Neither should we