Home

Asad Shafie

I go to visit my friend’s sister, sroor. My friend has given me her address and asked me to deliver a letter to her along with some gifts from the States. My father in law calls a taxi for me. They are not actually taxis. They are just regular cars like the limousines in the States.

I get on the car. It is a bloody hot day. It is the same car and the same driver. So I know his car not only is not air conditioned, the blower doesn’t even work. He starts his talk about how bad every thing is and how he deserves a better life, and he should not be driving a taxi.

I give him the address. He is not familiar with the area. He keeps driving, hoping to see the street. I finally ask him to pull over in front of a store. I go in and ask for the address. A few more stops and asking for direction, and we find it.

It is an apartment building. They live on the 2nd floor. I tell the driver that it should take me about 30 minutes and ask him to wait for me. He gets paid by hours, so he doesn’t mind.

I ring the bell. They ask who I am. I introduce myself. The door opens. I take the stairs to the 2nd floor. They are waiting for me at the top of the stairs, my friend’s sister, her husband and their son. Their faces are lit up. I am amazed. It is like I have come to my own sister’s house. They shake my hand warmly. The husband and his son kiss my face on both chicks.

I feel that I have known them all my life. They treat me like a king. They lead me inside their beautiful cozy apartment. I already feel at home. The picture of one of my heroes is on the wall.

I am immersed in a sea of love and attention. I have never seen these people before, but they act like they have known me all their lives. The sister looks at me with tears in her eyes. She says I have brought her the scent of his brother.

I am so comfortable. It is like I am in the home of my childhood, and they are my siblings. I start talking about her brother, my good friend of many years in the States, and she weeps silently. I feel the tenderness of life and love with no boundaries or conditions. I feel like I can stay forever without wanting to move from my seat. I keep talking, listening and experiencing the interaction with the type people that I have always wanted to meet, the type of people who can cure your blues by just looking at you, the type of people you read about in mystic books. People who have power of healing your pain, just by touching you, people closest to being gods.

I have lost track of time. I remember the driver is waiting for me. I reluctantly say goodbye to them. I promise to come and visit them again. I love to do that. They hug me and kiss me, and make me feel the most loved person.

I come downstairs. I see the drive sitting on the hood of his car under the shade of a magnificent plane tree, with a big tray of fruits, tea, cookies and mixed beer nuts.

They were not only loving and caring toward me, who am a friend of her brother. They were equally nice, respectful and kind to the driver that they didn’t know. I thought to myself: “this is uniquely Iranian too.”

Poetry

Hafiz (1230-91) the greatest lyric poet of Persia, who took the poetic form of the ghazal to unparalleled heights of subtlety and beauty.

I speak frankly and that makes me happy:
I am the slave of love, I am free of both worlds.

I am a bird from heaven's garden. How do I describe that separation,
my fall into this snare of accidents?

I was an angel and highest paradise was my place.
Adam brought me to this monastery in the city of ruin.

The hours' caress, the pool and shade trees of paradise
were forgotten in the breeze from your alleyway.

There is nothing on the tablet of my heart but my love's tall alif.
What can I do? My master taught me no other letter.

No astrologer knew the constellations of my fate.
O lord, when I was born of mother earth which stars were rising?

Ever since I became a slave at the door of love's tavern
sorrows come to me each moment with congratulations.

The pupil of my eye drains the blood from my heart.
I deserve it. Why did I give my heart to the darling of others?

Wipe the tears from Hafiz's face with soft curls
or else this endless torrent will uproot me.

Hafiz - "The Green Sea of Heaven" - Elizabeth T. Gray Jr

The sun
Won a beauty contest and became a jewel
Set upon God’s right hand.

The earth agreed to be a toe ring on the
Beloved’s foot
And has never regretted its decision.

The mountains got tired
Of sitting amongst a sleeping audience

And are now stretching their arms
Toward the Roof.

The clouds gave my soul an idea
So I pawned my gills
And rose like a winged diamond

Ever trying to be near
More love, more love
Like you.

The Mountain got tired of sitting
Amongst a snoring crowd inside of me
And rose like a rip sun
Into my eye.

My soul gave my heart a brilliant idea
So Hafiz is rising like a
Winged diamond.

Hafiz - “The Gift” – translation by Daniel Ladinsky