you're welcome foxycdn.  rumi poems are very special.  it's not only mystical
but keeps in touch with the human side as well.<br><br>hur

you're welcome captain.  hafiz is great as well.  perhaps you can compare rumi
and hafiz for us when you get the inspiration.<br><br>hur

come and see me<br>today i am away<br>out of this
world<br>hidden away<br>from me and i<br><br>i grabbed a
dagger<br>made slices of<br>me from myself<br>since i belong
<br>not to me<br>not to anyone<br><br>i am so
sorry<br>for not having done<br>this cutting away before<br>it
was my soul's mind<br>and not mine<br><br>i have no
idea<br>how my inner fire<br>is burning today<br>my
tongue<br>is on a different flame<br><br>i see myself <br>with
a hundred faces<br>and to each one<br>i swear it is
me<br><br>surely i must have<br>a hundred faces<br>i confess none
is mine<br>i have no
face<br><br>-Rumi<br><br>translated by Nader Khalili

thank you for the invite to the club, I have only just begun my intrest in Rumi.
I look forward to reading more.

Hello and thanks for the invitation to join. I am
a lover of Hafiz of Shiraz and I am just beginning
to become acquainted with Rumi. <br><br>I think that
the Net is particularly wonderful for uniting
seekers.<br><br>Simon<br><a href=http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/hafiz
target=new>http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/hafiz</a>

how long should i bear<br>this distressed
life<br>because of hopes and fears<br><br>give me some
wine<br>rescue me for a while<br>from these hopes and
fears<br><br>hand me that cup<br>that flaming cup<br>the one that
burns away<br><br>all those piled up
thoughts<br>filling my brain<br>with hopes and fears<br><br>pour into
my throat<br>whatever has been <br>my share of
life<br><br>don't make me wait forever<br>like a knocker on a
door<br>with hopes and fears<br><br>give me a sip<br>of that
water of life<br>to attain my inner
spectrum<br><br>these moments i feel<br>i've lost all my
colors<br>because of hopes and fears<br><br>give me that fiery
water<br>the one that even<br>the elixir wishes for<br><br>i
crave forever more<br>the promised paradise<br>with
hopes and fears<br><br>you are forever<br>my shining
sun and<br>i am like this poem<br>restless with hopes
and fears<br><br>-Rumi<br><br>translated by Nader
Khalili

I need a mouth as wide as the sky <br>to say the
nature of a True Person, language <br>as large as
longing.<br><br>The fragile vial inside me often breaks. <br>No
wonder I go mad and disappear for three days <br>every
month with the moon.<br><br>For anyone in love with
you,<br>it's always these invisible days.<br><br>I've lost the
thread of the story I was telling. <br>My elephant roams
his dream of Hindustan again. <br>Narrative, poetics,
destroyed, my body, <br>a dissolving, a
return.<br><br>Friend, I've shrunk to a hair trying to say your story.
<br>Would you tell mine? <br>I've made up so many love
stories. <br>Now I feel fictional. <br>Tell me! <br>The
truth is, you are speaking, not me. <br>I am Sinai, and
you are Moses walking there. <br>This poetry is an
echo of what you say. <br>A piece of land can't speak,
or know anything! <br>Or if it can, only within
limits.<br><br>The body is a device to calculate <br>the astronomy
of the spirit. <br>Look through that
astrolabe<br>and become oceanic.<br><br>Why this distracted talk?
<br>It's not my fault I rave. <br>You did this. <br>Do you
approve of my love-madness?<br><br>Say yes.<br>What
language will you say it in, Arabic or Persian,<br>or
what? Once again, I must be tied up.<br>Bring the curly
ropes of your hair.<br> Now I remember the story. <br>A
True Man stares at his old shoes <br>and sheepskin
jacket. Every day he goes up <br>to his attic to look at
his work-shoes and worn-out coat. <br>This is his
wisdom, to remember the original clay <br>and not get
drunk with ego and arrogance.<br><br>To visit those
shoes and jacket <br>is praise.<br><br>The Absolute
works with nothing. <br>The workshop, the materials
<br>are what does not exist.<br><br>Try and be a sheet of
paper with nothing on it. <br>Be a spot of ground where
nothing is growing, <br>where something might be planted,
<br>a seed, possibly, from the Absolute.<br> <br>-
Rumi, from Mathnawi <br>version by Coleman Barks

believe me<br>i wasn't always like
this<br>lacking common sense<br>or looking insane<br><br>like
you<br>i used to be clever<br>in my days<br><br>never like
this<br>totally enraptured<br>totally gone<br><br>like sharp
shooters<br>i used to be<br>a hunter of hearts<br><br>not like
today<br>with my own heart<br>drowning in its
blood<br><br>nonstop asking and<br>searching for answers<br>that was
then<br><br>but now <br>so deeply enchanted<br>so deeply
enthralled<br><br>always pushing<br>to be ahead and above<br>since i was
not yet hunted down<br>by this<br>ever-increasing
love<br><br><br>- Translation by Nader Khalili

Listen to the story told by the reed<br>of being
separate.<br><br>"Since I was cut from the reedbed,<br>I have made this
crying sound.<br><br>Anyone separated from someone he
loves<br>understands what I say.<br><br>Anyone pulled from a
source<br>longs to go back<br><br>At any gathering I am there,
mingling<br>in the laughing and the grieving,<br><br>a friend to
each, but few<br>will hear the secrets
hidden<br><br>within the notes. No ears for that.<br>Body flowing out
of spirit,<br><br>spirit up from body. We can't
conceal<br>thar mixing, but it's not given us<br><br>to see the
soul." The reed flute<br>is fire, not wind. Be
nothing.<br><br>hear the love-fire tangled<br>in the reed notes, as
bewilderment<br><br>melts into wine. The reed is a friend<br>to all who
want the fabric<br><br>torn and drawn away. The reed
is<br>hurt and salve combining.<br><br>Intimacy and longing
for<br>intimacy in one song<br><br>A disasterous
surrender,<br>and a fine love, together.<br><br>The one who
secretly hears this<br>is senseless.<br><br>A tongue has
one customer, <br>the ear.<br><br>The power of a cane
flute comes<br>from its making sugar in the
reedbed.<br><br>Whatever sound it has<br>is for everyone.<br><br>Days full
of wanting, let them go by<br>without worrying that
they do.<br><br>Stay where you are, inside<br>such a
pure, hollow note.<br><br>- Rumi <br>interpretation by
Coleman Barks

if you can disentangle<br>yourself from your
selfish self<br>all heavenly spirits<br>will stand ready
to serve you<br><br>if you can finally hunt
down<br>your own beastly self<br>you have the right<br>to
claim Solomon's kingdom<br><br>you are that blessed
soul who<br>belongs to the garden of paradise<br>is it
fair to let yourself<br>fall apart in a shattered
house<br><br>you are the bird of happiness<br>in the magic of
existence<br>what a pity when you let<br>yourself be chained and
caged<br><br>but if you can break free<br>from this dark prison
named body<br>soon you will see<br>you are the sage and
the fountain of life<br><br><br>ghazal number 3291,
translated Nader Khalili

i want to leave this town<br>but you've chained
me down<br>stolen away my heart<br>leaving yourself
behind<br><br>now i've lost my way<br>my soul restless and head
twisted<br>all because of those secrets<br>you once
whispered<br><br>i only must keep <br>fasting my heart<br>to set me
free<br>from sleepless nights<br><br>since your only
advice<br>when you saw me in flame<br>was to keep
burning<br>with you or with your thoughts<br><br>words of
wisdom<br>came to me at last<br>"the beloved you've lost<br>the
one you've been seeking outside<br>can only be found
inside"<br><br><br>ghazal number 2582, translated by Nader Khalili

Today, like every other day, we wake up
empty<br>and frightened. <br>Don't open the door to the
study<br>and begin reading. Take down a musical
instrument.<br>Let the beauty we love be what we do.<br>There are
hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the
ground.<br><br><br><br>translated by coleman barks

who is this existence<br>who puts sadness<br>in
your heart<br><br>who is this soul<br>who sweetens
your grief<br>as soon as you crawl<br><br>the one who
first frightens you<br>with deadly snakes<br>before
opening the treasure vault<br><br>who changes a
monster<br>to an angel<br>a sorrow to happiness<br><br>who
gives the blind<br>wisdom and<br>inner sight<br><br>who
changes darkness<br>to light<br>thistles to
flowers<br><br>who sheds the sins<br>of the sinful like<br>autumn
leaves<br><br>and puts guilt<br>in the heart of<br>its own
enemies<br><br>who makes them <br>repent and in silence<br>says amen
and<br>whose amen brings<br>inner happiness<br>and soulful
delight<br><br>who changes bitter thoughts<br>to lightness
and<br>joyous zeal<br><br>bestows fire<br>and makes you
leap<br>with unknown joy<br><br>the fire that can<br>make a
hero<br>from a desperate heart<br><br>who is this
existence<br>who is this<br>tell me who<br><br><br>ghazal number
528, translated by Nader Khalili

i was ready to tell<br>the story of my
life<br>but the ripple of tears<br>and the agony of my
heart<br>wouldn't let me<br><br>i began to stutter<br>saying a word
here and there<br>and all along i felt<br>as tender as
a crystal<br>ready to be shattered<br><br>in this
stormy sea<br>we call life<br>all the big ships<br>come
apart<br>board by board<br><br>how can i survive<br>riding a
lonely<br>little boat<br>with no oars<br>and no arms<br><br>my
boat did finally break<br>by the waves<br>and i broke
free<br>as i tied myself<br>to a single board<br><br>though
the panic is gone<br>i am now offended<br>why should
i be so helpless<br>rising with one wave<br>and
falling with the next<br><br>i don't know<br>if i
am<br>nonexistence<br>while i exist<br>but i know for sure<br>when i am<br>i
am not<br>but<br>when i am not<br>then i
am<br><br>now how can i be<br>a skeptic<br>about the
<br>resurrection and<br>coming to life again<br><br>since in this
world<br>i have many times<br>like my own
imagination<br>died and<br>been born again<br><br>that is
why<br>after a long agonizing life<br>as a hunter<br>i finally
let go and got<br>hunted down and became
free<br><br><br>ghazal number 1419, translated by Nader Khalili

look at love<br>how it tangles<br>with the one
fallen in love<br><br>look at spirit<br>how it fuses
with earth<br>giving it new life<br><br>why are you so
busy<br>with this or that or good or bad<br>pay attention to
how things blend<br><br>why talk about all<br>the
known and the unknown<br>see how unknown merges into
the known<br><br>why think separately<br>of this life
and the next<br>when one is born from the
last<br><br>look at your heart and tongue<br>one feels but deaf
and dumb<br>the other speaks in words and
signs<br><br>look at water and fire<br>earth and wind<br>enemies
and friends all at once<br><br>the wolf and the
lamb<br>the lion and the deer<br>far away yet
together<br><br>look at the unity of this<br>spring and
winter<br>manifested in the equinox<br><br>you too must mingle my
friends<br>since the earth and the sky<br>are mingled just for you
and me<br><br>be like sugarcane<br>sweet yet
silent<br>don't get mixed up with bitter words<br><br>my beloved
grows<br>right out of my own heart<br>how much more union can
there be<br><br><br>ghazal number 2381, translated by
Nader Khalili

Say Yes Quickly<br><br>Forget your life. Say God
is Great. Get up.<br>You think you know what time it
is. It's time to pray.<br>You've carved so many
little figurines, too many.<br>Don't knock on any random
door like a beggar.<br>Reach your long hands out to
another door, beyond where<br>you go on the street, the
street<br>where everyone says, "How are you?"<br>and no one says
How aren't you?<br><br>Tomorrow you'll see what
you've broken and torn tonight,<br>thrashing in the
dark. Inside you<br>there's an artist you don't know
about.<br>He's not interested in how things look different in
moonlight.<br><br>If you are here unfaithfully with us,<br>you're
causing terrible damage.<br>If you've opened your loving
to God's love,<br>you're helping people you don't
know<br>and have never seen.<br><br>Is what I say true? Say
yes quickly,<br>if you know, if you've known
it<br>from before the beginning of the
universe.<br><br><br><br>Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi<br>Version by Coleman
Barks<br>From Open Secret

You are the only faithful student you
have.<br>All the others leave eventually.<br><br>Have you been
making yourself shallow<br>with making other
eminent?<br><br>Just remember, when you're in union,<br>you don't have
to fear<br>that you'll be drained.<br><br>The
command comes to speak,<br>and you feel the
ocean<br>moving through you.<br>Then comes, Be silent,<br>as when
the rain stops,<br>and the trees in the
orchard<br>begin to draw moisture<br>up into
themselves.<br><br><br>Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi<br>Version by Coleman
Barks<br>From Feeling the Shoulder of the Lion

"The Way of Love is not a subtle argument. The Door there is devastation." -
Rumi

For years, copying other people, <br>I tried to
know myself.<br>From within, I couldn't decide what to
do.<br>Unable to see, I heard my name being called.<br>Then I
walked outside.<br><br>The breeze at dawn has secrets to
tell you.<br>Don't go back to sleep.<br>You must ask
for what you really want.<br>Don't go back to
sleep.<br>People are going back and forth across the
doorsill<br>where the two worlds touch.<br>The door is round and
open.<br>Don't go back to sleep.<br><br><br><br>Mevlâna
Jalâluddîn Rumi<br>Version by Coleman Barks

Don't let your throat tighten<br>with fear. Take
sips of breath<br>all day and night. Before
death<br>closes your mouth.<br><br>There's no love in me without
your being,<br>no breath without that. I once thought
<br>I could give up this longing, then though
again,<br>But I couldn't continue being
human.<br><br><br><br>Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi<br>Version by Coleman
Barks<br>From Unseen Rain

"Do you pay regular visits to yourself?" - Rumi

Lovers, oh lovers, what remedy is there? For I am
consumed<br>with fire, and yet this business is
unsettled.<br>There is no remedy but pure wine in cups which noble
men have <br>circulated.<br>The tale of lovers has no
end, so we will be satisfied like this,<br>and so
farewell!<br>The answer of Motannabi's saying is this: "A heart
which wine cannot <br>console." - Rumi

Rumi on (mystical) love, realized by the Unity
of<br>Being:<br><br>"This is love: to fly to heaven,<br>every monent to
rend a hundred veils;<br>at first instance, to break
away from breath<br>--first step, to renounce
feet;<br>To disregard this world,<br>to see only that which
you yourself have seen.*<br>I said, 'Heart,
congratulations on entering<br>the circle of lovers, on gazing
beyond the <br>range of the eye, on running into the
alley of the<br>breasts.'" <br><br>-Rumi (Arberry
translation #237)<br><br>*Nicholson's version is...(not to
see your own eye) "whence all objects derive their
unreal existence."<br><br>In this surprising mystery of
Being in Love,<br><br>Hur

"Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?" - Rumi

"I stood at the edge of insanity, I came to a door, I knocked, the door
opened....I was standing on the inside." - Rumi

"No one suffers enough," he said.<br>"Be the one who suffers everything<br>and
comes to me with nothing but this bowl<br>into which I can pour my wine." – Rumi

"Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing,
there is a field -I'll meet you there - when the soul
lies down in that grass, ideas, language, even the
words "each other" don't make any sense…" - Rumi

"The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other
all along." - Rumi

Welcome to the mystical poetry of Rumi

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