Garden Of Contemplation

Garden of Contemplation

To the garden of contemplation let's go

To the contemplation of tomorrow's sun let's go

By you, by the Friend I swear

My heart but the praise of his name so fair

By wine cups, wine casks and wine houses

By the bright sparkle of wine glasses

By the strange encounter with the sigh of a stream

By the dazzling colour of a drop of sleep

By the silken charm and spell of the flute

And a heart set alight by the cup's salute

By a roof full of pigeons, by a pool full of moons

By a look full of longings, by the sadness of a mood

By your cheerful song, my own Reera

By your name and that of Neema

By the flight of a butterfly from a chrysalis

By the vivid colour of an amaryllis

By justice, by peace, by knowledge

By a planet joyful, beautiful and acknowledged.

By that dance at the foot of the gallows

By that retreat in the company of the Friend:

The shells of his sea were delighted

The pearls of his heart were sighted

It is I! Said Hallaj, my life, my soul

My crown, my ascension, my all

I am the Truth! It is I! Hang me

For this is the love that to my beloved drives me

My ashes turned to light, to celebration

My soul brimful with fervent animation

From my body I soared to sheer skies

Nothing but a speck of dust in those heights

Since both feathers and wings are on fire

A hundred dawns from your ashes shall rise

Longing to soar on the wings of that wine

Nothing but sighs in my shirt you'll find

My heart, by sorrow fired

My wine, so drunk, to the cask retired

See the sighs, burning, glowing

The bowl of my heart full to overflowing

What a fire Anal Haq set alight

It burnt wine server, wine cup and wine

The gallows with flowers so veiled

That my heart-strings the wine cup craved

My throat tasted that fire of fires

That dragged even Satan to hellfire

My daf gave rise to the dafdaf of melodies

Filling hearts with such sweet harmonies

Stability has slipped from the hands of this world

For the conquest of tomorrow its flag is unfurled

From the hearts of horses neighing takes shape

From the cry of the brave leopards escape

Come, let me take you the spectacle to see

To the top of tomorrow's mountain run with me

There to light a lamp from my heart and soul

There the city of tomorrow for you to behold

*****

A Spring that's an outburst of colour upon colour

A feast filled with melodies of lyre upon lyre

A Spring all dressed in song and celebration

A happy Spring, full of praise and adulation

A Spring full of happiness, of grace and benediction

Flower-kissed messengers bearing salutations

A Spring where Leili to Majnoon draws near

A red rose, with olive-branch shyness appears

The Friend's embrace everywhere this Spring

Upon his shoulders reigns this Spring

Violets run riot under a rain of colour

Into a leopard has changed the sad-eyed lover

A land where the heart is a garden of mirrors

And bright the paths of those shining spirits

A land where walls are of sunlight

Windows and doors patches of moonlight

In a city in the hands of a Lover/King

I'll care for you, careful watch I'll keep

Stars upon earth angels shall sprinkle

Drops of ishq from vines shall splash

Land will be everyone's home and garden

Deserts bright wheat-fields will ripen

With muscle-power iron will dance

Compassionate humanity the world will enhance

With ingenious imagination and the marvel of achievement

From steel will issue a drunken smile of contentment

Swords without name, without mention

Spirits unscarred by chains and detention

****

Come, in the taverns of a Balkh restored

A bitter cup of drink to pour

To Shiraz let us bow in prayers

Those wondrous heights of verse and rhymes

Come, to Tabriz lets fly

Guests in the retreat of Shams a while

To Neyshapour our way lets wing

For a jug of wine, of love, to sing

All seven regions of the world realms of the Friend

If a wine does exist, by his perfume it's inspired

To the street of the darvish let's go

On a mountain of fire into a salamander to grow

With audacity let's extend the hand of friendship

Victims of love and reckless comradeship

With mystic masters, of that no-thing 'heech' let's drink

From this earth to high heaven lets wing

****

Come, to the pigeon's perch let's fly

Grow tall for a moment, like flames, rise high

Come, with a kiss, to love let's succumb

A sacrifice to poppy hearts become

Come, as buds and blossoms in the sun

Under a refreshing shower of songs to run

Come, naked, into winter let's change

Become that drop of a drinker's pain

Come, as a raven, some autumn garden grace

A dawn, for a single crow to trace

Ourselves as children's stories let's devise

For them to read us in the book of lives

Come, become a hobby horse, a train

The championship of goodness to attain

With a pomegranate a child's grief allay

Its gentle heart tranquil to play

On his roof place the sun

A feast at his table seat

Look, the herb seller has come once more

Basil and mint on his back galore

Hey! He calls, Nowruz is here again

Sunny daffodils nights into days array

Come, poppies I have, chalices of dawn

A flower by God's kisses drawn

Come, my willow tree has combed its crest

My swallow, in my heart, has its nest

Come raven, good news do bring

My beacon: your coal-black wing

Come, to the garden of contemplation let's go

Tomorrow's human beings to know