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| WHERE is Gulistan, the Land of Roses? | |
| Not on hills where Northern winters | |
| Break their spears in icy splinters, | |
| And in shrouded snow the world reposes; | |
| But amid the glow and splendor | 5 |
| Which the Orient summers lend her, | |
| Blue the heaven above her beauty closes: | |
| There is Gulistan, the Land of Roses. | |
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| Northward stand the Persian mountains; | |
| Southward spring the silver fountains | 10 |
| Which to Hafiz taught his sweetest measures, | |
| Clearly ringing to the singing | |
| Which the nightingales delight in, | |
| When the Spring, from Oman winging | |
| Unto Shiraz, showers her fragrant treasures | 15 |
| On the land, till valleys brighten, | |
| Mountains lighten with returning | |
| Fires of scarlet poppy burning, | |
| And the stream meanders, | |
| Through its roseate oleanders, | 20 |
| And Love’s golden gate, unfolden, | |
| Opens on a universe of pleasures. | |
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| There the sunshine blazes over | |
| Meadows gemmed with ruby clover; | |
| There the rose’s heart uncloses, | 25 |
| Prodigal with hoarded stores of sweetness, | |
| And the lily’s cup so still is | |
| Where the river’s waters quiver, | |
| That no wandering air can spill his | |
| Honeyed balm, or blight his beauty’s fleetness. | 30 |
| Skies are fairest, days are rarest— | |
| Thou, O Earth! a glory wearest | |
| From the ecstasy thou bearest, | |
| Once to feel the summer’s full completeness. | |
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| Twilight glances, moonlit dances, | 35 |
| Song by starlight, there entrances | |
| Youthful hearts with fervid fancies, | |
| And the blushing rose of Love uncloses: | |
| Love that, lapped in summer joyance, | |
| Far from every rude annoyance, | 40 |
| Calmly on the answering love reposes; | |
| And in song, in music only | |
| Speaks the longing, vague and lonely, | |
| Which to pain is there the nearest, | |
| Yet of joys the sweetest, dearest, | 45 |
| As a cloud when skies are clearest | |
| On its folds intenser light discloses: | |
| This is Gulistan, the Land of Roses. | |
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