Behold The Essense of Rain...

I thought it quite inconvenient when I saw that the weather forecast called for significant rain in Charlottesville over the weekend. Shahrzad and I like sleeping in on the weekends and then awakening gently by the rays of the sun as they tiptoe their way into our room!


Why does this happen everytime I am off, I thought to myself! Then, I pondered in Persian poetry, where rain is viewed as a blessing. I thought of the seven-year drought that has afflicted Eastern Africa. I remember that it was three years ago that in our very own Charlottesville the city had banned car-washing and suggested that citizens take three minute showers because we had experienced a rare drought in Central Virginia. How amazingly short-term our memory is! "Wash your eyes," as the poet suggests, so that you may behold the essense of rain. Here is a rough translation for the non-Persian speaking folks:

...
Wash your eyes,
Behold in a different light!
Your words must be,
The essense of wind,
Your words must be,
The essense of rain!

هر كجا هستم باشم
آسمان مال من است
پنجره فكر هوا عشق
زمين مال من است
چه اهميت دارد
گاه اگر ميگويند
قارچهاي غربت
چشمها را بايد شست
جور ديگر بايد ديد
واژه بايد
خود باد
واژه بايد
خود باران
باشد