Back when Borders was sort of my home away from home, I would go there often just to see what jumped out from the stacks. Sometimes I would hear a book call to me and I would reach up and pull it down without question, knowing it would introduce something that would intrigue me, illuminate an idea, or provide food for thought. Such was my introduction to Hafiz.
While roaming around my bookshelves yesterday, I opened to this poem and wanted to share it. The line with the words "water-mark" reminded me of the beautiful collection of music by Enya of the same title. When it first arrived on the scene I was living at my farmhouse in Ansel. The moon over the fields would fall inside those long windows lulling me to sleep with, "Storms in Africa," and "Miss Clare Remembers." I listened to it again last night and felt that same sense of peace. The world is a mysterious and beautiful place.
Here is Hafiz:
"All the Hemispheres"
Leave the familiar for awhile.
Let your senses and body stretch out
Like a welcomed season
Onto the meadows and shores and hills.
Open up to the Roof.
Make a water-mark on your excitement
And love.
Like a blooming night flower,
Bestow your vital fragrance of happiness
And giving
Upon our intimate assembly.
Change rooms in your mind for a day.
All the hemispheres in existence
Lie beside an equator
In your heart.
Greet yourself
In your thousand other forms
As you mount the hidden tide and travel
Back home.
All the hemispheres in heaven
Are sitting around a fire
Chatting.
While stitching themselves together
Into the Great Circle inside of
You.
~ Hafiz
Translation by Daniel Ladinsky
Watercolor: "On the Hill" by Winslow Homer
I had to go look up who Hafiz was, and now I know he was an Iranian mystic who lived and wrote in the fourteenth century. He is certainly a wonderful poet, and now I too have been introduced to him and will get to know him. Thank you so much for this Earth Day gift, Teresa!
ReplyDeleteVery nice share Teresa. I see an old Borders where I used to take my kids closing and it is sad our economy doesn't want to support this kind of store.I spent lots of time browsing and enjoying some great music and coffees as well.
ReplyDeleteI used to work a second job at Borders...and spent every paycheck there too :(( Sad that it's gone downhill. I too randomly choose books sometimes, for no reason. Just discovered a book of 3 stories by Penelope Fitzgerald, someone I'd never heard of, and really really enjoying it. No idea why I picked it either; bland spine and cover, etc. It just felt like it wanted to go home with me.
ReplyDeleteThis is so wonderful, Teresa, that I want to stand up and shout, "Yes, yes, yes!" I thought for a second that I had found my favorite line, but every line thereafter became a favorite. "Leave the familiar," "make a watermark on your excitement," be like a "blooming night flower," "change rooms in your mind for a day," and this, above all, "Greet yourself in your thousand other forms as you mount the hidden tide and travel back home." Thanks, Tersa. You just made my day!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I'm not usually a poetry reader, but the last two parts are very evocative. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDon't hit me over the head for this. You know I'm not an intellectual but would this kinda be the non-intellectual's Wizard of Oz? When I read it, all I could think is "Follow the yellow brick road." That's why I love you... you teach me new things and I thank you.
ReplyDeleteTeresa what would we do without books and people like Hafiz ?
ReplyDeleteDJan, I'm so glad you looked him up. His poetry is so love-infused. Happy Earth Day!
ReplyDeleteSteve, The Borders in Santa Fe was my home away from home and it had the most incredible selection of music in every genre along with the books.The first to go was the music, then a bit more, here and there. Now I hear it's probably going to be closing. I don't understand why someone would not want to go and spend time in a bookstore, hold them in their hands, let them speak to them. Amazon cannot offer what a bookstore can. Ever. Yes, convenience, but at what price?
Li, Yes, it's as though they want to go home with us; they Know what they offer will reach us where we're at. I will check out P. Fitzgerald. Sounds intriguing. Thank You.
George, Those are some of my favorite lines, too. I'm so glad it spoke to you. I was thinking of you and the "vital fragrance of happiness and giving" I find in your blog. We have a fine "intimate assembly," here amongst our fellow bloggers, don't we?
ReplyDeleteLinda, Thanks so much. I always appreciate hearing from you.
Manzi, You are so dear. I think the Yellow Brick Road is a great image to carry with this poem. Mind, Heart, Courage, all here.
Paul, Exactly so. I appreciate our sharing of love for Hafiz.
Wow! Theresa,
ReplyDeleteEnya is one of my favorite singers...have you ever listened to Celtic Woman? they have similar styles; just lovely as angels!
Thanks so much for this post...
Nothing more exhilarating than being opened to paradigm shifts of understanding.
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy, I have listened to the Celtic women and have watched a couple of programs on PBS that featured them. Lovely as angels, and can sing like angels, too.
ReplyDeletePaul C., Yes. :)
Wonderful post Teresa E. Beautiful words for my mellow autumn day here in NZ.
ReplyDeleteThis is really worth savoring. I've only sporadically had Hafiz cross my path but I've always liked him and wanted to know him more.
ReplyDeleteNice.
I really like:
Like a blooming night flower,
Bestow your vital fragrance of happiness
And giving
Upon our intimate assembly.
*
and I too thought of all my blogger friends. :-)
Thank you so much for introducing me to Hafiz! I am a Rumi fan, but will find it in my heart to let another come in.....
ReplyDeleteJoan, Thank you. I always find it comforting somehow that the seasons go on in different parts of the world at different times.
ReplyDeleteNeighbor, We have a really fine "assembly," don't we? I'm very grateful for your presence here.
BB, I know its difficult, but I think you'll find him very worth it. :)
This was a great piece. I love your header and look forward to following your blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Josh. I'm glad you stopped by.
ReplyDeleteYou and your blog are so good and peaceful that I need to see much more of you. I am signing in.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Friko. I am honored. I Love your blog.
ReplyDelete