I HOLD THE LION'S PAW

I hold the Lion's Paw
Whenever I dance.

I know the ecstasy of the falcon's wings
When they make love against the sky,

And the sun and moon
Sometimes argue over
Who will tuck me in at night.

If you think I am having more fun
Than anyone on this planet
You are absolutely correct.

But Hafiz
Is willing to share all his secrets
About how to befriend God.

Indeed, dear ones,
Hafiz is so very willing
To share all his secrets
About how to know the
Beautiful
One.

I hold the Lion's Paw whenever I dance.
I know the ecstasy of your heart's wings
When they make love against the Sky,

And the sun and moon
Will someday argue over
Who will tuck you in at
Night!

("The Gift" – vers D. Ladinsky)

--------------------------------------------------

I HOPE YOU WON T SUE THIS OLD MAN

I have
Nothing to say
For God has taken His sharp knife
And completely
Hollowed me,

Yet a mysterious wind comes by
And moves the Invisible.

I enter your soul.
Your beauty, dear pilgrim, startles me,
Causes my spirit s foot to slip

Against one of the lute strings on
Your heart.

Then Hafiz just translates
The cries of your love
As if they were
My own
Words.

I hope
You won t sue
This drunk Old Man
For
That.

( The Gift versions of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky)

-------------------------------------------------------

I Knew We Would Be Friends

As soon as you opened your mouth
And I heard your soft
Sounds,

I knew we would be
Friends.

The first time, dear pilgrim, I heard
You laugh,

I knew it would not take me long
To turn you back into
God.

'The Subject Tonight is Love' - Daniel Ladinsky

------------------------------------------------------

I RAIN

I rain
Because your meadows call
For God.

I weave light into words so that
When your mind holds them

Your eyes will relinquish their sadness,
Turn bright, a little brighter, giving to us
The way a candle does
To the dark.

I have wrapped my laughter like a birthday gift
And left it beside your bed.

I have planted the wisdom in my heart
Next to every signpost in the sky.

A wealthy man
Often becomes eccentric,

A divine crazed soul
Is transformed into infinite generosity

Tying gold sacks of gratuity
To the dangling feet of moons, planets, ecstatic
Midair dervishes, and singing birds.

I speak
Because every cell in your body
Is reaching out
For God.

("The Gift" – Vers D. Ladinsky)

------------------------------------------------

I WANT BOTH OF US

I want both of us
To start talking about this great love

As if you, I, and the sun were all married
And living in a tiny room,

Helping each other to cook,
Do the wash,
Weave and sew,
Care for our beautiful
Animals.

We all leave each morning
To labor on the earth's field.
No one does not lift a great pack.

I want both of us to start singing like two
Traveling minstrels
About this extraordinary existence
We share,

As if
You, I, and God were all married

And living in
A tiny
Room.

("The Gift" – vers D. Ladinsky)