The Cosmic Wishing Wells And The Mad Boy

The Cosmic Wishing Wells And The Mad Boy, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

two wishing wells
one to become sane
one to remain insane
one for profit one for gain
no discount no bargain
so drop a coin ..see
what you want to attain
a void less cerebrum
or a fecund brain
pleasure or madly pain
freedom or worldly chains
but before you drop a coin
from alcohol drugs food
refreshments you must abstain
to get good results ..and ayn


Ayn al-Qozat Hamadani (sometimes transliterated as Ayn-al-Qudat Hamadani) was born in Persia (Iran) in the region of Hamadan. Hamadani was a Sufi philosopher, mystic, and mathematician. He was executed in Baghdad at the age of 33 on the charge of heresy.

A famous quatrain is said to be his:

ما مرگ وشهادت از خدا خواسته ايم
وآن هم به سه چيزکم بهاخواسته ايم
گردوست چنين کندکه ماخواسته ايم
مـا آتـش و نفـت و بـوريا خــواسـته ايم
which is translated as:
I want death and Martyrdom from God
I want it in three low-priced things
If the friend (i.e. god) grant my wishes
I want fire and oil and Straw
This quatrain refers to his execution by Caliph's order.


dedicated to howling dervesh.. late john dixon