On The Frost Inside

Ahmad Shamlou: On The Frost Inside 

Tremor in the hands,
The heart tumbling down,
in doubt:
If Love-
is not to be the flight,
then,
can it be the shelter?
If Love-
is not to be the flight-
then,
can it be the escape?

Alas!
The visage of Love,
The blue visage of Love,
is invisible in this night.

Tremor in the hands,
The heart tumbling down,
in doubt:
If Love,
is not to ignite the light-
in the bitter, obscure inside,
then,
can it be a quenching relief-
to a burning, flaming sore? 

Alas!
The visage of Love,
The ruby visage of Love,
is invisible in this night.
**&**

For,
A thick dust of comfort-
after the raid of doubts...
A concealing but boundless space-
to set on the loose-
the trail of thoughts...
A darkened spot-
over the pale surface of calm.

And,
an evergreen leaf-
to adorn the heap of lilacs...
But,
Alas!
The face of Love,
The familiar face of Love-
is long, so long, lost 
in this endless night.

=====
Translation: Maryam Dilmaghani, April 2011, Halifax
This poem (Bar Sarma-ye Daroun) was first published in the anthology Abraham in Fire (1973, Tehran).
Artwork: Afshin Naghouni: https://www.facebook/naghouni