Blog Entry 4

"I Cease Not from desire" by Hafiz is a poem about a man who is sadden by death because he will not have a kiss from the women he loves before its his time to die. The man is explaining that without his love he will not be able to spiritually leave his body because she is what his heart wants the most. This poem describes his 'desire' in the form of fear because he does not know if he will get the kiss before death comes. The way of describing the notion of death being so close that his soul is ready to depart his body but in need of that kiss. A fear of departing from your body without peace is what this man is feeling because his heart can not take the pain of wanting this more than life it self. 

Shamseddin Mohammad best known as Hafiz (his pen name) is an Iranian poet lived from dates 1325- 1389 (estimated). He was born in Shiraz, South Central Iran and has his tomb in the Muslla Gardens in Shiraz. The name Hafiz is a title given to those who had memorized the Koran by heart according to a biography on Hafiz. Hafiz left school after his father's death and began working because he had to take care of his mother. Hafiz later on became a poet, he became famous during his twenties to thirties in his hometown. Hafiz was said to have fallen for a girl named Shakh-e Nabat who was said to be very pretty and because of this he wrote many poems about her. He even stayed up for forty days and nights at the tomb of Baba Kuhi to obtain what he most wanted which was Shakh-e Nabat. Even though Hafiz did marry he never gave up on his love for Shakh-e Nabat. According to "Poetseers.com", Hafiz is a very well known Persian mystical poet that is still being taught about even though many of his poems were not written down. 

In stanza 1 the man explains what he wants and from whom. His loved one is the one he waits for before his death. In stanza 2 he explains that he is dying and he fears his lover will not kiss him before he parts away form his body. In stanza 3 he explains how when he is already dead his body still is waiting and wanting his lovers kiss. He will not rest until she comes and brings him what he most wants her kiss. That all he gets is more pain from waiting for that longed kiss to come. In stanza 4 he expresses her beauty and how her kiss can console him, a hurting man. In stanza 5 he expresses the sadness he has from waiting so long for the kiss that never comes and how his pain is unbearable. How his pain makes his heart bleed to death. That those who long to receive a kiss from their lovers as well will wait and wait until they are dead. 

The word 'cease' meaning to come to an end and word 'desire' meaning a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen with this the title itself has a major meaning. I see it as "I come to an end not from wishing it happened", this brings an emotion of sadness and some fear because of the symbol of desire for something and not being able to obtain it. The man expresses throughout the poem his entire desire for the women he loves. Fear is a major symbol because his fear of leaving without the kiss is causing him pain. In stanza 2 line 4,"Will her sweet lips give all my longing peace", it explains that the kiss from his love will make him be able to leave in 'peace'. The way this man want to be able to leave is knowing he had all his heart wanted. Showing through the entire poem how important this love he has is stronger than his own life because on his dying moments all he needs is one kiss. 

This poem to me came across as a man desiring his lovers warmth to not feel as if he is dying. The man is dying but does not want to leave before his lover comes to give him peace. His love is strong enough to overcome death and wait for his lover even after he is no longer alive. This poem makes me vision a scenery of two people standing close to each other yet are distant from each other. The man reaching out for his lover and the lover is not responding to his action. The man feels his desire increasing as his heart aches and is hurt because his lover is not giving him what he desires. I find that that theme of fear and lost is pointed out in stanza 2 lines 2-8,"But grief beats in my heart and will not cease, Because not once, not once before I die,Will her sweet lips give all my longing peace. My breath is narrowed down to one long sigh For a red mouth that burns my thoughts like fire; When will that mouth draw near and make replyTo one whose life is straitened with desire?",because of the desire he has for his lovers kiss before he dies. The idea of not feeling her makes him feel lost to her and fears that he will no longer feel her beside him. These two themes are explained throughout the poem and set the tone of the poem. The tone is strong and sad because the stanzas are each filled with the emotion of the man and his desire yet fear. 



Works Cited

http://www.poetseers.org/the-poetseers/hafiz/

http://www.poetseers.org/the-poetseers/hafiz/hafiz-poems/i-cease-not-from-desire/

http://www.hafizonlove.com/bio/

http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/