The Truth Potion
Quote from the original translation
Awake! for the morning in the bowl of night,
has flung the stone that puts the stars to flight,
Lo! the hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan’s Turret in a noose of light!
Dreaming when dawn’s left hand was in the sky,
I heard a voice within the tavern cry,
awake my little ones and fill the cup,
before life’s liquor in its cup be dry!!
Omar Khayyam ‘Rubaiyat’ Persian
World is a tavern and time’s liquor is running dry!
Drink while there is still time!
Wine is wisdom you drink to see the reality of existence
and not be swayed by the untruth and the unreal!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Truth potion - Inspired by the Rubaiyat!
in the warmth of fire where embers shine,
where greed plays havoc with cries of mine, mine!
pour them the taste of that fermented potion,
to awaken their soul to bring them in line!
in tented tavern amidst commotion,
truth frozen, but untruth is in fashion,
I feel your lips on my lips to reassure,
lips of damsel wine that brings elation!
I see the coloured glasses glitter pure,
jingle of anklets on bodies demure,
dancing to please insolence and wealth,
calamity, disease, pretences sans cure.
pour me a cup so I can drink to health,
to bemoan the tale of truth lost in stealth,
in flow of wine there is freedom of breath,
liberation of truth, from deep underneath!
Tamam shud!( original ending of Rubaiyat) means
all clear or the end!!
1st placement
Inspired by the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam in Persian
Translated to English by Scott Fitzgerald
Written 10/11/21
Inspired by a translation poetry contest
Malabika Ray Choudhury sponsored
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