  Mine be the musk and the music, mine be the laughing girl; Mine be the ample flagon, brimmed with the blood of the vine; Mine the divan encushioned, watching the dancers twirl; Mine the narghili serpent, breathing its soul divine. Others can juggle with statecraft, others can lust for command; Others can envy their fellows woman or vintage or gold; Others can wrangle for title, fight for a rood of land; Others think souls and bodies things to be bought and sold. Such as they are, God made them; such as they are, God guides; Such as they are, they do their task, fill place in the world awhile; Such as they are, they eat and drink, and sleep on the breasts of their brides; Such as they are, they sicken and die—may jackals their graves defile. I for my part am happy, I for my part am calm, I for my part rejoice to the full in the hour that glideth by, I for my part with all my heart delight in the vineyard’s balm, I for my part will love and laugh till my moment comes to die. Grant me, Allah, digestion; grant me, Allah, desire; Grant me a mistress with almond eyes and cinnamon-scented breath; Grant me a golden vessel filled with the vineyard’s fire; Grant me, Allah, a lazy life, and later a lazy death. Dearest, I once was foolish; dearest, I once was young; Dearest, I once would have sold my soul for the price of a passionate kiss; Dearest, you know what your lover was when the songs of his youth were sung; Dearest, the devil deserves your soul for driving me down to this. |
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