Since now from the heart of night the rose

Since now from the heart of night the rose
Leaps like a flame to light the lea,
And humble hearted violet shows
Her hidden head so modestly,

Do thou drink deep of the daylight wine,
’Mid tinkling harps, soft flutes that sigh,
Drink deep of the fiery kiss divine
Of Beauty’s youth ere it pass by.

Drink deep of the fleeting red-rose time
’Mid joy of love and dance and song,
Brief, brief. Dear Heart, is the rose’s prime,
Nor ours--alas!--is over long.

Gold starred is the earth’s broad breast with flowers,
With gold flowers starred likewise the sky;
I’ll haste me away where bend the bowers
And there fair fortune prophesy.

Back, back, now our old fire altars bring!
Lo! here is Zoroaster’s God!
Daily Nimrod’s petaled fire will spring
From tulip cups that pierce the sod.

Wine by Beauty’s hand now outpoured should
Up-raise the dead with a prophet’s might;
Pray of Ad think not, nor of Themud
Whom God gave into grief and night.

Red of the rose and the lily’s snow
Make Earth an Eden, fleeting, fair--
Alas! ’tis soon of the long ago
With spring’s blue skies and vagrant air.

Down the wind even now lo! rides the rose,
Royal as Solomon, king of old;
David’s song rapture richly flows
From nightingale’s voices of gold.

A health to Mahmud, Great Persia’s sun,
Firm pillar of the faith is he,
The new Asef of Solomon--
May grief bend not his brows blackly!

Now naught Hafiz can ere fail thee
O’ershadowed by his mighty name,
To God pray that thou mayest not see
An end unto his noble reign.