The lover's lament

Persian poem on: The lover's lament about his beloved's indifference, written in the Nasta'liq script in the 16th-17th Cent. Iran or Central Asia. Dimensions of Written Surface: 7.8 (w) x 15.8 (h) cm My body is exhausted from sorrow, what will I do? / The fire is in my burning heart, what will I do? / Because of (her), who brands my deplorable heart / (She) is a garden and spring for others, what will I do? Tanam az ghusa figar ast, cha khwaham kardan? / Atasham dar dil-i zar ast, cha khwaham kardan? / Anka panbaya dagh ast dil-i zaram az u / Hama-ra bagh u bahar ast, cha khwaham kardan? The fragment is neither dated nor signed. However, it may have been produced in Iran during the 16th or 17th century. The verses are executed in black nasta'liq script on a beige paper decorated with bird and leaf designs painted in gold. The main text panel is bordered by a number of other verses in both diagonal and vertical registers forming a frame. The entire composition is pasted to a larger sheet of paper decorated with a pounced vegetal motif in green and backed by cardboard. This calligraphic fragment includes a lover's lament about his beloved's indifference. The verses read: Script: nasta'liq 1-87-154.156 R