last night I saw the angels

last night I saw the angels
pouring off the roof like a snowstorm
insinuating themselves between paving stones
beneath drains coursing
up the side of the furniture they rush
a million raindrops

the angle/corner of an eighty-floor building:
the sun that picks out a hundred points there
follows an infinity
electromagnetic energy may be perceived as sound

in each dash of wine a legion calls
and in unending interrogation laments
"can you not forgive?"

the wardrobe door's a floor
on which exoduses are under way

the lots were lost in the east
where seventy-two factions feast
be thankful there is now peace
as the lovelorn moths
fluttering round the shrine
encircling it benign
only make it increase


apologies to Hafez

Hafez - Last night I saw the angels

Recently I've been reading some of the poetry of Hafez, the 14th century Persian poet, whose work is still revered now. It seems that a lot of his poetry dealt with themes of love, but also with wine, which he must have been quite fond of. Of all the poems of his I have read so far, the one below is probably my favourite.

 

Last night I saw the angels

tapping at the wine-shop’s door.

And kneading Adam’s dust,

and molding it as cups for wine;

And, where I sat beside the road,

these messengers of heaven

Gave me their wine to drink,

so that their drunkenness was mine.

The heavens could not bear

the heavy trust they had been given,

And lots were cast, and crazed

Hafez’s name received the sign

Forgive the seventy-two

competing factions- all their tales

Mean that the Truth is what

they haven’t seen and can’t define.

But I am thankful that there’s peace

between Him now, and me;

In celebration of our pact

the houris drink their wine-

And fire is not what gently smiles

from candles’ flames, it’s what

Annihilates the flocking moths

that flutter round His shrine.