A whole city's eyes were lit by our burning;
we ground ourselves to ash and made that ash a precious kohl.
Explanation: Kohl (surma) is the dark powder used to line and brighten the eyes; here the poet's ash becomes the cosmetic that lights an entire city's sight, framing self-sacrifice as a source of beauty and worth.
Original · Persian
شمارهٔ ۱۴
چشم یک شهر شد از سوختن ما روشن
سرمه را قدر شکستیم ز خاکستر خویش