Ghazal 365

It has been a lifetime that we have set our face on the road of your grief —

we have set aside the show and pretense of the people.

The arch and portico of the school and the debates of learning —

we have set them on the road of the cup and the moon-faced cupbearer.

We have surrendered life to those two sorcerous narcissus-eyes —

we have placed our heart with those two Hindu hyacinth-tresses.

A lifetime has passed, in hope of a sign,

we have set our eye on those two corners of the brow.

We did not take the realm of safety by an army —

we did not set the throne of sovereignty by force of arm.

Let us see what game the sorcery of the beloved's eye will play — for again

we have built our foundation on the sorcerous coquetry.

Without her rebellious tresses, our passion-struck head, from weariness,

like the violet, we have set upon our knee.

In the corner of hope, like watchers of the moon,

we have set the eye of seeking on that curve of the brow.

You said: Hafez, where is your bewildered heart? —

we have set it in the rings of that curve of the tresses.