The Woman I Love

Hafiz

Persia, now Iran, 1320-1389

translated by Daniel Ladinsky

(excerpt)

Because the woman I love lives inside of you.

I lean as close to your body with my words as I can--

and I think of you all the time,

dear pilgrim.

Because the one I love goes with you wherever you go,

Hafiz will always be

near.

If you sat before me, wayfarer, with your aura bright from

your many charms,

my lips could resist rushing to you, but my eyes, my eyes

can no longer hide the wondrous fact of who

you really are.

From Love Poems from God,

Penguin Putnam, Inc., 2002