Surge et Veni

Wine of Light

by

Simin Behbahani

The stars have closed their eyes, come.

The wine of light flows through the veins of the night, come.

I have poured out so many tears waiting in the night's lap,

that twilight has blossomed and the morning has bloomed, come.

In my mind's sky your memory etches lines of gold

like a shooting star, come.

I've sat so long with the night telling my tale of woe

that the night and I have turned pale with sorrow, come.

If you are waiting to see me again when I die,

understand, this is the time, come.

If I hear anyone's footsteps, I imagine they are yours,

with all this beating, my heart is bursting out of my breast, come.

You didn't come when the sky was full of stars like grapes,

now that the dawn has picked them one by one, come.

You're the hope in the heart of Simin-the-broken-hearted,

put an end to my misery, come.

-from the collection, A Cup of Sin, translated from the Persian by Farzaneh Milani and Kaveh Safa