The Beloved you’ve lost
…but you’ve chained me down stolen away my heart leaving yourself behind now i’ve lost my way my soul restless and head twisted all…
Confused and distraught — Rumi
Rumi interpreted by Coleman Barks derived from Arberry’s translation You bind me, and I tear away in a rage to open out into air,…
Rumi – You and I, in the Palace
Happy is the moment, when we sit together, With two forms, two faces, yet one soul, you and I. The flowers will bloom forever,…
I am the call of Love — Rumi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You whispered in my ears like early spring: “I am the call of Love, can you hear me in the full grasses, in…
Rumi – Guest House
This being human is a guest house Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an…
the two insomnias
“When I am with you, we stay up all night. When you’re not here, I can’t go to sleep. Praise God for those two…
His form has passed away and he has become a mirror (Rumi)
Sunlight has recently offered two versions/translations of Rumi’s Mathnawi story of the dervish Bayazid Bestami ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BESTAMI That magnificent dervish, Bayazid Bestami, came to…
This thirst in our souls
No sound of clapping comes from only one hand. The thirsty man is moaning, “O delicious water!” The water is calling, “Where is the…
I become like a pen
Ghazal 2530 from the Diwan-e Shams, in a version by Coleman Barks, in translation by Annemarie Schimmel, and in translation by A.J. Arberry: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~…
Who is looking out?
Who sees inside from outside? Who finds hundreds of mysteries even where minds are deranged? See through his eyes what he sees. Who then…
What was said to the Rose…
“What was said to the rose that made it open, Was said to me, here in my chest.” I was struck by this image…
The Perils of Reporting in Pakistan
The toll of Taliban attacks is measured in more than bodies. By MARY LOUISE KELLY Stay in the news business long enough, and you…
In prayer continually
Rumi, once again The ritual prayer is five times daily, but the guide for lovers is the verse, they who are in prayer continually.*…
Rumi’s Poetry: ‘All Religions, All This Singing, One Song’
Coleman Barks is a great translator. His recent essay here is a great read especially in terms of debates on Islamophobia Rumi: The Big…
Har Lehza Ba Shaklay But-e-Ayyar Baraamad
A Kalam of Jalal Ud Din Rumi Performed by Farid Ayaz Qawal Har lehza ba shaklay but-e-ayyar baraamad Dil burd-o-nihaan shud Har dum ba…