Persian New Year - Nu-Rouz

Come with me and Hafez to celebrate Spring and Nu-Rouz
By Ali Parsa. March 12, 2002

First, my translation of a robaii from Hafez
Original Persian in English script:
Nou-baharast dar on kooshkeh khosdel bashee,
Keh basee gol bedamad bazo tow dar gel bashee.
Man nagooyam keh tow khod ba ket neshino cheh benoosh,
Keh tow khod danee agar zirako aaghel bashee.

My Englsih translation:
Enjoy Spring and its flowers-red, blue and pink,
For you and flowers will last only a wink.
I refrain from telling who to mix with and what to drink,
For you can figure that out if you just think.

And a poem of my own on the occasion of Nu-Rouz
Every nation, religion and ethnic group,
Pagan, Christian, Moslem and Jews,

Set aside a time to celebrate life,
We, Persians do it at Nu-Rouz.

Promotion of good, suppression of evil,
Was our ancestors' purpose of inventing Nu-Rouz.

To pave the rocky road of human relations,
To make the journey of life bumpless and smooth.

With good thoughts, good words and good deeds,
Following moderation and avoiding abuse.

Nu-Rouz was meant to keep us from going astray,
Through visits, forgiveness or shmooze.

Then came the age of excessive greed and materialism,
Excess selfishness and erosion of values.

Lack of contentment with our own lot,
Acquisition of wealth, no matter whose.

Suppression of peace, promotion of wars,
Enjoyment to kill, maim and bruise.

No difference between war and peace,
For making money, each is a good excuse.

By allowing our human attributes to vanish
We are all becoming time bombs with shorted fuse.

We explode and implode but never find peace of mind,
With no time to defuse the bomb in us and no time to soothe.

The noble purpose of Nu-Rouz, too, is being lost,
Through ignorance, negligence or shear misuse.

To avoid Nu-Rouz and the company of others,
Many do not stay home but travel or take a cruise.

The real message of Nu-Rouz is that it tells us,
Let us learn from the past and start a new Rouz.

I have seen miracles in Nu-Rouz message,
You, too, can see it if you walk in my shoes.

All modern inventions and modern pills,
Can not have the healing power of our Nu-Rouz

Nu-Rouz heals through what, I call "high touch,"
That dwarfs the "high tech" in reducing our blues.

Keeping in touch with others is a far better way to heal
Than cruise, excessive booze and all-day snooze.

High touch is also the cheapest way to heal,
Try it once, you have nothing to loose.

When greed and materialism exhaust you,
Reach out for someone's hand, no matter whose.

In the journey of life you still have the choice,
To follow Mother Teresa or Howard Hughes.

Loving, touching, sharing and caring,
Are the secret healing powers of Nu-rouz.