A Sufi Poem

from the divani shamzi tabrez

carry the bier
when i die, and forget
my heart
for its gone from this world.
never cry for me
don’t follow my hearse with your eyes or your heart,
for union and meeting
are mine in this hour.
when you watch my coffin disappear,
forget your goodbyes to me,
the grave simply hides Paradise.
don’t look down, look up,
at the sun and the moon,
who are set in joy for me.

the buried seed is growing,
why doubt this growth,
the seed of man?
lower a bucket, and it comes up full,
who complains at the well?

be quiet on one side of death, wake up on the other
your sounds will be heard in the airless air.

the moon appears at dawn
above the waves,
gazing upon me.
then, like a falcon taking a bird in flight,
it takes me instead
and flies away.

nine spheres of heaven
were in the moon;
and the sea washed over me still,
its washing over my soul.
and the voice of wisdom told me,
as above, so below.

on the form of the ocean, a form appeared,
rising and falling
rising and falling,
on the foam of my body
came a sign
melting me, and transforming me within,
missing the power of
shams of tabriz
who held the moon,
and now is pure fantasy.