THE SONG OF TAHIRA
| If ever confronting face to face my glance should alight on you | |
| I will describe to you my sorrow for you in minutest detail. | 2170 |
| That I may behold your cheek, like the zephyr I have visited | |
| house by house, door by door, lane by lane, street by street. | |
| Through separation from you my heart’s blood is flowing from my eyes | |
| river by river, sea by sea, fountain by fountain, stream by stream. | |
| My sorrowful heart wove your love into the fabric of my soul | 2175 |
| thread by thread, thrum by thrum, warp by warp, woof by woof. | |
| Tahira repaired to her own heart, and saw none but you | |
| page by page, fold by fold, veil by veil, curtain by curtain. | |
| The ardour and passion of these anguished lovers | |
| cast fresh commotions into my soul; | 2180 |
| ancient problems reared their heads | |
| and made assault upon my mind. | |
| The ocean of my thought was wholly agitated; | |
| its shore was devastated by the might of the tempest. | |
| Rumi said, ‘Do not lose any time, | 2185 |
| you who desire the resolution of every knot; | |
| for long you have been a prisoner in your own thoughts, | |
| now pour this tumult out of your breast!’ |