“Deepening The Wonder” by Hafiz

Credit: Burst

Death is a favor to us,
But our scales have lost their balance.

The impermanence of the body
Should give us great clarity,
Deepening the wonder in our senses and eyes

Of this mysterious existence we share
And are surely just traveling through.

If I were in the Tavern tonight,
Hafiz would call for drinks

And as the Master poured, I would be reminded
That all I know of life and myself is that

We are just a mid-air flight of golden wine
Between His Pitcher and His Cup.

In the realm of poetry, few voices resonate as profoundly as that of Hafiz, the 14th-century Persian mystic and poet. Hafiz’s verses, rich in metaphor and mysticism, often delve into the profound themes of life, love and death. In his poem, “Deepening the Wonder,” Hafiz offers a fresh perspective that can pop willing readers out of the conventional, heavier notions of death and remind us that the whole set-up is kind of silly.

Hafiz begins his poem by proclaiming, “Death is a favor to us.” These words may strike us as counterintuitive, for in most cultures, death is often feared and mourned. However, Hafiz beckons us to reevaluate our perspective on mortality. He suggests that death is not an adversary but a gift, a liberator from the transient and illusory nature of life.

Hafiz’s words invite us to reflect on the brevity of life. He likens our existence to “a mid-air flight of golden wine between His Pitcher and His Cup.” This whimsical imagery grounds us in the ephemeral nature of our existence. We came from somewhere, we’re going somewhere, and these lives we experience are just the little blip of travel in between. It invites us to contemplate how we would live life if we always knew that we were just cruising through that mid-air flight.

Hafiz continues:

If I were in the Tavern tonight,
I would buy freely for everyone in this world

Because our marriage with the Cruel Beauty
Of time and space cannot endure very long.

Hafiz’s notion of buying drinks for everyone in the world underscores the interconnectedness of all beings. It symbolizes a deep sense of compassion and unity, transcending the boundaries of time and space. It is a recognition that the “Cruel Beauty” of existence, with all its hardships and transitory nature, is a shared experience that binds humanity together.

A stamp from India shows a likeness to the poet Hafiz.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

He concludes:

The miraculous existence and impermanence of
Form

Always makes the illumined ones
Laugh and sing.

Hafiz’s illumined ones, those who have glimpsed the profound truths of life, find solace in the impermanence of form. As painful and heavy as this life can get, Hafiz reminds us that a mere moment of recognition that we are living in a miracle and that nothing from it will ever last, can bring a sense of wonder and joy that no pain can touch.

In “Deepening the Wonder,” Hafiz challenges us to reevaluate our relationship with death and impermanence. He invites us to see death as a gift that reminds us of the preciousness of life. Through his striking imagery, Hafiz encourages us to savor each moment, find unity in our shared human experience, and ultimately embrace the mysteries of existence with each other.