poetry

My sweetheart —            may she live as long  as my heartbreak —         today began her kindnesses               anew.    She locked eyes with me                for an instant,          then was gone–  […]

If you give wine               to a                     mountain, you will              set it                                       dancing; those  who  find fault  […]

Prudes don’t know Your grace the way we do, and strangers cannot know You as Your close friends do. You said, “If you commit a sin I will consign you to hell!” Yeah, sure- tell it to someone who doesn’t know the real You! Translated by Juan Cole from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, [pdf] Whinfield 204

When you next hold a party, my dear friends, rejoicing in how stylish you all are; and when the waitress pours the Shiraz wine, remember poor me in your evening prayers! Translated by Juan Cole from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, [pdf] Whinfield 205

I am busier than you are,  cleric of the faith! And, despite my drunkenness,  I’m soberer than you. I drink the blood of the vine, while you drink that of people. Be fair, which one of us  is more bloodthirsty? Translated by Juan Cole from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, [pdf] Whinfield 307

The sun has lassoed rooftops  with its rays, and  the king has splashed  the light of day into my glass. Have some wine, for passionate love  called out at dawn,  saying ‘drink up’ every single day. Translated by Juan Cole from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, [pdf] Whinfield 233

I hope my mind will always be consumed  by a passion for heavenly goddesses, and that my hand will always  cradle the juice of the grape. They tell me they hope that God will lead me to repent! But if he did that, and I didn’t respond, I’d be farther away than ever. Translated by Juan Cole […]

I’m going to murder my grief               with a bottle                    of wine, and make myself a wealthy man              with                         a          […]