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by Rezwan on 12/18 at 04:57 PM
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I think it was Rumi (and correct me here!) who said:

گاو در بغداد آيد يك زمان
او رود از اين كران تا آن كران
از همه عيش و خوشيها و مزه
او نبيند جز دو پوست خربزه

Which means, of course:  A cow came to Baghdad for a time.  It went from one (riparian?) coast to the other.  From all the luxuries, delights and tastes to be had, it saw naught but two melon rinds.

What the poet is trying to say here, I think, is that there’s a lot more to Baghdad than two dusty melon rinds.  Provided, of course, you’re looking for it. 

This may be a direct and prophetic admonition to the American government about its perception of the value of modern-day Baghdad.  More likely, it’s a metaphor about the capacity to appreciate the richness around you, in any context.

Like this humble cow, many of us fine people out here, while we know in theory that Persian culture and literature has a lot to offer, don’t do much more than munch on a few old shriveled rinds of it, then wander off into other pastures.

Time to explore!  Stampede! 

And please don’t be insulted at the insinuation that you may have cow-like characteristics.  Get in touch with your inner cow!  We love cows!  Cows (and other herbivores) will save the world!  Cows to the rescue!  Especially enlightened cows.  And they don’t even need to be genetically engineered!

Coming soon:  The above poem with magnet bits so you can see the breakdown and really get the logic.  For now, a line by line, literal breakdown (see our transliteration guide:

گاو در بغداد آيد يك زمان
gAv dar baqdAd Ayad yek zamAn
cow in Baqdad came one time

او رود از اين كران تا آن كران
u ravad az in kerAn tA An kerAn
it goes from this coast to that coast

از همه عيش و خوشيها و مزه
az hame eysh o xoshi-hA vo mazeh
of all luxury & delights & taste

او نبيند جز دو پوست خربزه
u nabinad joz do pust xarbozeh
it seesnot except two skins melon