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Intent On Madness

Intent on Madness

Intent on madness deserts I tread
Reveal my scars to tulips red

Her beauty's rays ov'rwhelm my mind
'Tis not for naught disgrace I find

Surrendered all to beauty's power
With all my heart I signed this offer

Drunk as I am with fancy's face
I am by choice in wine's embrace

Taken to head, her thoughts are mine
Open the bottle, worship the wine

The heart, a bird, restless, insane
I tied its wings with jasmine mane

Perchance a glance is thrown my way
By Tavern door I'll wait and pray

I found those lips looking like wine
That's why I turned to goblet fine

Cupfuls of flowers, mem'ries of her face
I've seen in the cup a garden of grace

To drink I must, rapture's my way
I've chosen the sea, be it what may!


          Abul Qasem Ghazanfar
          18 June 1980
           Translated from the Persian by the author

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Pashang Salehi

Date: 8/5/2016 2:23:00 AM

Hello my friend, When you translate a Ghazal (let say from Hafez), the translation must be in a form of ghazal as well. Your translations are couplets not ghazal.....

Abul Ghazanfar
Date: 8/5/2016 9:25:00 PM

No need. I just wanted to give a sense of the content.

Frederick Espiritu

Date: 7/13/2016 2:09:00 AM

this is absolutely a masterpiece...

Abul Ghazanfar
Date: 7/14/2016 3:29:00 PM

Thank you, Frederick, for your generous comment. I am happy that in translation from my Poem in Persian to English, I have been able to convey the essence of thought and feeling, and that you were able to detect it. I am honored to be part of this group.