Friday, February 11, 2011

Don't Surrender Your Loneliness by Hafiz


 Don't surrender your loneliness
So quickly
Let it cut more deep. Let it ferment and season you
As few human
Or even divine ingredients can
Something missing in my heart tonight
Has made my eyes so soft,
My voice
So tender,
My need of God
Absolutely
Clear.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

It Felt Love by Hafiz

How did the rose
Ever open its heart

And give to this world
All its
Beauty?

It felt the encouragement of light
Against its
Being,

Otherwise,
We all remain

Too

Frightened.

Here's a lovely reinterpretation of Hafiz's work by Daniel Landinsky.  Some critics claim his "translations" are too free-- but they still make for lovely poetry.