Ahmad Shamlou

The Garden of Mirrors

A lantern in my hands
A lantern in front
I leave to combat
the monster of darkness.

Only now that all tired cradles have resigned
from their routine swinging
into a timeless stillness,
a sun from my depths
is throwing numerous luminous rays
on the ashes of the lifeless stars
of my nightly sky.

So I deem
it is the time to leave...

***

Within the wild cries of the lightening
As-if in plain conception of the rains
in the restless womb of the clouds,

Within the silent pain of the vines
when the embryo of grape growing on the end of their limbs,

Within all these pain and cries
My sob was just another word
for the common wish for relief:

In the most frightening nights of plight
I also hopelessly called the Sun
and the Sunrise.

***

You'd come from the land of hundred suns,
you'd be from the land of hundred dawns.

You'd be from the place of birth, mirror and silk.

***

In a void
with no sign of god and with no sign of fire
I helplessly implored your gaze
and your trust.

You'd be
a sever flow
Of light, of love and of life
in the empty room between two death.

And you'd be a bridge
over the tears of solitudes
the hits of lassitude.

At least.
that is how I feel the glow of your gaze and the warmth your trust

***

Your bliss
is merciless indeed,
Yet so gracious.

And your breath
Striking over the palm of my hands
a green song...

***

I stir!
Now I stir!
A lantern in my hands
A lantern in front,
I leave to polish the stains of my soul.

Then I'll put a mirror
in front of yours:

That is how I will make an eternity
from you and me.