 In the other gardens
And all up the vale, From the autumn bonfires See the smoke trail! Pleasant summer over And all the summer flowers, The red fire blazes, The gray smoke towers. Sing a song of seasons! Something bright in all! Flowers in the summer, Fires in the fall! Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) from A child's Garden Verses- 1885  Tonight,
in a marvelous dream, it will extend to the direction of the words. Wind will say something. An apple will fall, will roll over the attributes of the ground will go until the presence of night’s absent homeland The roof of an illusion will collapse. Eye, will see the vegetal melancholic intelligence. An ivy will climb up the sight of God Mystery, will overflow. Root of the period’s asceticism will decay. In the way of darkness the edge of the water’s converse will shine, The inner part of the mirror will grasp. Tonight the stem of the sense will shake by the blow of Friend, Consternation will shed. At the bottom of night, an insect will experience the fresh portion of loneliness. Inside the Morning word Daybreak, will come. Sepehri, sohrab (1928 - 1980) Translated from Persian by Nasrin Yavari  Two small pond fish
attend the antique feast welcomed first by the old man in the center then men and women in each corner Bowl room is filled with clear water the two fish play in its bright colors; from red, blue to green and golden then, come to stand still, right and sudden! Watching the fish whispering our wish cannon now fired Spring is announced “Hundred years better than these years” two, three, four kisses! “with our best wishes” old ladies taste musk willow ‘Noghl’* in shining dishes Nasrin Yavari •http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noghl, •http://foodists.ca/2009/02/05/noghl-a-persian-wedding-tradition.html  A freshly picked white Jasmine flower,
Oh what a wonderful scent! I remember… Summer afternoon and garden freshly sprinkled geraniums border up on wetted steps, the white Jasmine pot on the deck On a red Turkoman* rug spread familiar round metal tray, a glass of tea and cubes of sugar, the daily newspaper, the magnifier, and Oshno** of my grandmother On the high table all is set Big samovar, still singing! Fifty years following, Delicate Jasmine flower… Nasrin Yavari * a type of antique hand knotted Persian rug http://www.rugart.biz/about-rugs.html ** name of brand for tiny cigarettes in white flat box http://www.irtobacco.com/portal/products.html  For this small white porcelain vase,
a gift from my beloved mother I pick each time from the garden a bunch of tiny Alyssums, early shoots of Cypress blue and purple Petunia flowers… or just a few leaves of Laurel Pansy of different colors… Zinnia, Marigold, Phlox Geranium, Salvia, Lavender… Roses with a tinge of color late in November Nasrin Yavari  Compassion Crush not yon ant, who stores the golden grain He lives with pleasure, and will die with pain. Learn from him rather to secure the spoil Of patient cares and persevering toil. SA’DI Shirazi (1200- 1291) Verse translation from Persian by: Sir William Jones (1746 –1794) Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saadi_%28poet%29 http://www.answers.com/topic/sa-di http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Jones_%28philologist%29  Reality and Appearance ‘Tis light makes colour visible: at night Red, green, and russet vanish from thy sight. So to thee light by darkness is made known: All hid things by their contraries are shown. Since God hath none, He seeing all, denies Himself eternally to mortal eyes. From the dark jungle as a tiger bright, Form from the viewless Spirit leaps to light. When waves of thought from Wisdom’s Sea profound Arose, they clad themselves in speech and sound. The lovely forms a fleeting sparkle gave, Then fell and mingled with falling wave. So perish all things fair, to readorn The Beauteous One whence all fair things were born. RUMI, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad (1207 –1273) Verse translation from Persian by : R.A.Nicholson (1868 –1945) Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynold_A._Nicholson The Miracle of Spring
Recall how with frozen fingers December’s clouds outspread Over the fields and uplands a mantle of ice and snow; Over the buried roses, over a world of dead Vengeful as any hangman stalked the exultant crow. But lo, the abiding wonder! Spirit, that never dies, Surges anew and vital through the upstanding trees. See, those spear-armed horsemen, the spreading tulips, rise Over the plains triumphant, hills, yea, and mountains seize. Behold, the eager lily leaps to delight the eye, Spurning the bent narcissus crouched in his self-regard. Deep in the springing corn-shoots the gleaming violets lie; Bright with a myriad jewels the wheat-swept fields are starred. Under the nodding willow the poppy lies in blood- Sudden the blow that smote her, drenched her crimson flood. And now, mid the green profusion of wheat, in mingled hue Note how the lily argent with azure glows; So, when the sky is stippled with scattered rain-clouds through Here and here betwixt them the vault of heaven shows. BAHAR (1884 -1951) Verse Translation : A.J.Arberry (1905 -1969) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Taghi_Bahar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_John_Arberry  The night of good loneliness
Listen! The farthest bird of the world sings. Night is fluent, consistent and open. The Geraniums and the most sonorous branch of the season hear the Moon. The front stairs of the building, In the lantern at hand and in the profuse light wind, Listen, the road is calling from afar to your steps, your eye is not the ornament of darkness. Shake eyelids, wear shoes, and come. and come to where, the feather of the Moon hints to your finger and Time sits down on a chunk of clay with you and the bible of night absorbs your body to itself, like a song lyrics. A pious man would be there to tell you: The best thing is arriving to a look, wet from the accident of love. Sohrab Sepehri (1928 - 1980) Translated from Persian by Nasrin Yavari |
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