Dropping Keys- Hafiz/Ladinsky/Levin © 2009

Chorus: I am one of many, I’m not one alone.
When I sing from the center of my soul
I shine like a diamond in the old king’s throne.  Ah –ha!  Hey, hey!
I shine like a diamond in the old king’s throne.
The small minded man locks up everyone he knows
But the sage ducks his head when the moon is low.
And all night long he’s dropping keys,
To the beautiful prisoners at his knees.
All those beautiful rowdy prisoners must be freed!  Chorus.
Doubt came along and captured me and he stuck me in a trunk at the bottom of the sea.
The wise old sage had mercy on me and his words of wisdom set me free.
All those beautiful words of wisdom set me free. Chorus.
The king takes a diamond off his throne and he sticks it in the ground where the seeds are
Sown and up from the ground comes a groove of trees sprouting words to the wise in the
Shape of keys.
The poet and the wise man climbing trees so they can sing us songs like these. Chorus.
Ah-ha, hey, hey- Shine like a diamond in the old king’s throne!

from My Friend Hafiz- inspired by the poetry of Hafiz as translated by Daniel Ladinsky, music by the Levins