Ode 330

How my heart aches with happiness to-night—

Here by your shadowy side under the moon!

How strange your face is in the ghostly light—

Under the willows underneath the moon.

O spirit! O child! O unconceived bliss!

For this good night, kind Fates, we give good thanks.

We shall not know again a night like this

Under the willows on the river-banks.

Love, shall I bid the Saki bring the wine?

She waits but yonder underneath the moon;

I have already drunken deep of mine,

Here at these stars—just underneath the moon.

Ah! how it tips the tongue with witty fire,

And makes one's fancy play a thousand pranks!

O! I could sing—yea! will I to this lyre,

Under the willows on the river-banks.

The fairest jewels of my purest thought

Here will I deck you with under the moon—

Strange deep-sea pearls up many a fathom brought

From my deep heart, far underneath the moon;

And from Earth's centre my spirit shall bring to light

Gems without name and number for my bride—

The bride that nature gave me, this fair night,

Under the willows on the river-side.

How sweetly runs the river round yon bend—

O Ruknabad is fair under the moon!

Would that this night of nights might never end,

Or we might die thus underneath the moon!

Too soon shall morning take the stars away,

And all the world be up and open-eyed,

This magic night be turned to common day—

Under the willows on the river-side.

HAFIZ must throw him rue upon the fire,

Lest, for this happy night under the moon,

The evil eye of envious desire

Fall on him, singing underneath the moon.