Thomas Rain Crowe

RENDERINGS OF HAFEZ

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Wake up Winebringer! And pour me a glass of wine.

Throw dust on the head of this sad earth man.
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I’ve taken off my snazzy blue coat and bare-chested

I clutch this full cup.
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Even though the rich or the politicians call us “trash,”

To us their blue blood or fame means nothing.
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Give me more wine! All their dust blowing around in the wind of pride

And desire is as worthless as a hole.
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The smoke from my burning heart

Gags all those with ignorance as their goal.

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My mad heart has a secret

That no one knows.
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The Beloved has stolen even the sweet solitude from my heart,

And I am content.

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No one who has ever laid eyes on this silver-limbed Cypress,

Would ever go looking in the woods for a cypress again.
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“Hafez,” the voice of inner wine will say;

“Be careful what you ask for, you may just get what you want."