5 Bahman 1404
Quatrain 3 of 75
“And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before
The Tavern shouted—"Open then the Door.
You know how little while we have to stay,
And, once departed, may return no more."”
Reflection · Winter 1404
The cock crows in winter before the light arrives, into darkness that feels, in Bahman or Esfand, like it might never lift. And the crowd before the Tavern in winter is different from the crowd in spring — they are not eager, not shouting from abundance. They are shivering, asking for warmth, for the door to open on something lit and human.
What Khayyam offers in winter is not false cheer but clear sight. The door has been opening and closing your entire life. Every departure is real. Every return that is impossible is actually impossible. This is not a reason to despair — it is a reason to stand closer to the door, to notice when it is open, to go through while you can.