Gyric poems of Ha'fez

The heavenly breeze comes to this estate,
I sit with the wine and a lovely mate.
Why can’t the beggar play the king’s role?
The sky is the dome, the earth is my state.
The green grass feels like Paradise;
Why would I trade this for the garden gate?
With bricks of wine build towers of love,
Being bricks of clay is our final fate.
Seek no kindness of those full of hate,
People of the mosque with the church debate.
Don’t badmouth me, don’t blacken my name;
Only God can, my story narrate.
Neither Hafiz’s corps, nor his life negate,
With all his misdeeds, heavens for him wait.

At the break of dawn from sorrows I was saved
In the dark night of the Soul, drank the elixir I craved.
Ecstatic, my soul was radiant, bright,
Sanctified cup of my life, drunk I behaved.
O, what exalted sunrise, what glorious night
That holy night, to the New Life was enslaved.
From now on, in the mirror, O what a sight
The mirror, glory of my soul, proclaimed and raved.
Wonder not if I am bathed in heart’s delight
I deserved and was given, though may have seemed depraved.
Angelic voice brought news of my God-given right
My patience is the fruit of hardships that I braved.
Sweet nectar drips from my lips, as my words take their flight
Beloved, my sweetheart, upon my soul patiently had engraved.
‘T was Hafiz, divinely inspired that I attained such height
It was God’s mercy that time’s sorrows for me waived

O heart, break, because a shattered heart, many wonders attains
Your midnight needs, shall repel a hundred pains.
Criticisms of your angel-faced Beloved, lovingly bear
Because a single smile, compensates for a hundred strains.
From this world to the angelic realm, will all be unveiled
For one who in the service of the Grail tries and trains.
Physician of love has the healing hands of Christ, yet
Where there is no malady, why think the healer remains?
Be focused on serving your own God, and be content
Because God has mercy, though the claimant complains.
I am hurt by my dormant fate, perhaps my wakefulness
At the time of demise of the night, in prayer gains.
Hafiz, shattered and broken, and not a whiff of Beloved’s curls
Perhaps a trace of that aroma, when the morning breeze travels the plains

When sorrows upon seekers' hearts settle, will not rattle
When beauty with comfort starts battle, will unsettle.
When to fate they submit their mind, themselves will bind
Finally, when Beloved's beautiful curls find, put egos behind.
If they come to us a moment, and sit near, disappear
Yet when joy in their hearts will appear, becomes clear.
If they understand that a lonely tear is but a gem that is dear
With a love so sincere, face early-risers they fear.
When laughter like red rubies to my eyes cling, my tears bring
From my face, when hidden secretes spring, joyously they sing.
The healing balm of the pain of love is not easy for sure, and is pure
Those who use their mind to find such a cure, many failure will endure
Those who climbed fortune's ladder wrung after wrung, were strung and hung
And the ones who in praise sing Hafiz's song, are thought wrong.
Those favored by this spirit, noble and pure, tempt and allure
For love's pain if a cure they must secure, then failure will endure

Those who turn lead into gold
Will they ever our sight behold?
I hide my ills from false physicians
May my cure come from the invisible fold.
When beloved reveals a glimpse
Many tales by many are told.
Salvation is not in piety,
The deed for its own sake should unfold.
Be fair with my increasing love
Let not others mock me and scold.
Behind the veil, many schemes remain,
After unveiling, how will they be sold?
Heartwarming tales of lovers in this world
Warm even the hearts that may be ice cold.
Drinking the forbidden wine with sincerity
Surpass the moral rules we pretend to uphold.
The shirt that carried Joseph’s scent,
His brothers would gladly have sold.
Come, show yourself in the tavern
To the servants whom your passage extolled.
Keep jealous eyes away, because the good
For God’s sake, choose the good and bold.
Hafiz, sustained union cannot be cajoled;
Kings in the marketplace rarely strolled.

When sweethearts with such charm lovers cajole,
In believers’ faith they will poke a hole.
Wherever a flower begins to bloom,
Eyeballs inside the head begin to roll.
O handsome and young man of tall stature
Play the ball before you are a bat or pole.
The lovers choose and act without control,
You the playwright, and lovers play their role.
Beside the bloody tears that eyes shed
Pales even the thundercloud’s heavy toll.
When my love begins to sing, that song and sound
Angels in the heavens clap and extol.
Heartbroken, tearful eyes, I long for thee,
Why such cruelty must endure the soul?
Leave sorrows behind, listen to your heart,
Then separation becomes a mere droll.
In the darkness of the night, Hafiz, stroll,
Let the bright light of the morn become your goal

O pious of the heart, I am lost in a love, so great
O pain the hidden secrets will become open debate.
Shipwrecked we just float, O favorable wind arise,
May we one more time gaze upon that familiar trait.
Passage of time and the stars, are but what we fantasize
For compassion and kindness, it is never too late.
In the circle of wine and roses, nightingale’s song is prize
With the aroma and the wine your senses satiate.
O Thou compassionate one, life giver and the wise
One day bestow thy grace upon this mendicant’s state.
For peace of this world and the next, understand what I advise
Magnanimity the lot of friends, and with foes try to relate.
In the land of repute, our passage they will dispute
If this will not suit, don’t stay mute, and transmute dictates of fate.
When destitute and in need, let your love and passion breed
Life’s alchemy, essence and seed, unimagined wealth shall create.
If unruly with pride, with a candle’s zeal your flame will rise
Beloved turns stone to lava, and molten wax manipulate.
The Grail contains but wine, if only you realize
Then the Kingdom of the world, at your feet prostrate.
The good and wise Magi, forgivers of lives and lies
Bearer bring good news, drunkards’ wine consecrate.
With this wine stained robe, Hafiz would never disguise
O untainted pure Master, exempt us from this fate.

Kindly tell the tender deer, O morning breeze
I am wandering your desert and the wild countries.
Long live the sugar merchant, but why
Is he unkind to sweet lovers, the honey-bees?
Tender rose, pride in your goodness forbids
To ask the manic nightingale of his fantasies.
Only with gentle compassion can you trap the wise.
The wise bird from any snare simply flees.
I know not why there is no familiarity
With the tall, black eye, bright faced beauties.
When in company of friends, glass of wine in hand
Remember old companions who travel upon the breeze.
The only criticism that I can have of you;
For kindness, the beauties charge extortionate fees.
No wonder if in the heavens, as claims Hafiz;
Venus’ song brings Christ to dancing sprees.

I said, when will your lips mine satisfy?
You said, with your wishes I’ll comply.
I said, your lips demand a price so high,
You said, your profits will multiply.
I said, who found you while only on himself rely?
You said, there are very few who even try.
I said, leave the idols, choose the one that won’t die;
You said, for lovers, love to all will apply.
I said, the tavern drowns my every sigh;
You said, happy is the one who makes sorrows fly.
I said, in my creed, the way of wine must defy;
You said, this is the way of the creed of the old Magi.
I said, what use the wine, for one as old as I?
You said, it wets your spring of youth, which has gone dry.
I said, when will the master beside his bride lie?
You said, when the conjunction of moon and Jupiter is nigh.
I said, your praise is Hafiz’s ceaseless cry,
You said, this is the song of the angels in the sky.

On the pulpit, preachers, goodness display
Yet in private, they have a different way.
I have a question to ask of the learned in our midst
Why Confession-Priests, their own repentance delay.
Perhaps they don't believe in Judgement Day
They deceive, and to appease God, they pray.
May these New Masters, God, find their stay
And from slaves and mules not turn away.
Church-beggar, go to the abode of the Magi
Drink the water that strength of heart convey.
His endless goodness, many lovers slay
Lovers from the void, rise up and play.
In Love's Tavern, the Angelic array,
Ferment our soul's grape, knead our clay.
Heavenly music at break of the day
As if Angels sing Hafiz's songs, and sway.