Sol 6.1

  1. When my eye reached those it loves,

    I beheld pure wine, identical with its bubbles.

  2. Could I see anything but Layla, when estrangement decrees

    her distance and her veil as her sentence upon me,

  3. while all existence is among her lovers—and could I miss

    a courtesy that Love counts among her courtesies?

  4. No, by Him who made wasting sickness and sorrow

    my cloak because of her, and beauty part of her cloak.

  5. And I found bliss in her worlds; otherness was seen

    by someone other than me, whose heart then came to be seared by her.

  6. And indeed I visited the encampment by night, amid its tents,

    as though, from sickness, I were one of their guy ropes.

  7. And I read those dwellings, poring over them,

    as though I were the one questioned about their parsing.

  8. Until, when morning drew aside its veil,

    and its sun, the fair one, cast off her face veil,

  9. the dim darkness saw that I was part of her,

    so I carried off the lights at her departure.

  10. And I beheld Layla, whom none but she herself sees,

    and her beauty had shone through her cloak.

  11. And I sought her, and found the means of fulfilling wishes

    bound to despair of the means of reaching her,

  12. except for one who gave passionate longing its due,

    and came to the encampment's dwellings through their doors,

  13. and was faithful to her messenger's covenant in what he commanded

    on her behalf, and so took his place at her door.

Sol 6.1