Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos » Hafiz http://www.contrariwise.org Tattoos from books, poetry, music, and other sources. Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:57:16 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Ghazal 98 http://www.contrariwise.org/2010/05/19/ghazal-98/ http://www.contrariwise.org/2010/05/19/ghazal-98/#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 16:00:16 +0000 Jen http://www.contrariwise.org/?p=1371 This tattoo belongs to P.

I spent many years in the Middle East as a child and developed a deep, fundamental love for the area, the countries, the people, and the poetry. Hafiz’s work always spoke to me with its beauty and depth, and I’d been searching for the right line to commit to my body. The imagery in this reminds me of the desert and hot, stormy nights.

The wind last night brought wind of my far-traveled love to me.
I, too, will give the wind my heart and what must be shall be.

It’s come to this: no confidante will hear my secrets save
Lightning at dusk and wind at dawn as I live ardently.

In your curls’ locks, not once did my defenseless heart recall
The home in me it left behind, but shunned the memory.

Today I treasure all advice of friends who warned of love.
Blessed are the advisers, Lord, for it is they who see.

Memory of you was my heart’s blood when wind came to unwind
The cord that closed the rosebud’s robe beneath our meadow tree.

My winded body felt death blow till a new dawn wind blew
Fresh hope for our reunion and returned my life to me.

Hafiz! Your amicable way has earned you what you yearn for.
Let every soul be sold to help a man of amity.

- Ghazal 98 by Hafiz

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