A tear is a secret,
A smile is a secret,
Love is a secret,
The tear of that night was the smile of my love.
I am no tale for you to tell,
I am no song for you to sing,
I am no sound for you to hear,
Nor a thing just to be seen,
Nor a thing just to be known —
I am the common pain: cry me out!
The tree speaks to the forest,
The grass — to the endless steppes,
The star — to The Milky Way,
And I speak to you, to you I speak.
Tell me your name,
Give me your hand.
Tell me your word,
Give me your heart.
2026.01.01
The original poem (author: Ahmad Shamlou)