Two lovers meet
One day, in secrecy

Hearts warm as a pillow
of makhmal

The lover says to his love
“You are a pearl buried in the
ruins of the world
People come and go
they watch
But they cannot smell the kastoori
They laugh, eat, and joke with you
But they don’t see your heart”

The mirror slips from her hand
It falls down
She cries and with shivering hand
She says
Tear apart the wall
You’ll not need any windows anymore



makhmal: velvety leaves
kastoori: musk