Ghazal by Agha Shahid Ali
Ghazal BY AGHA SHAHID ALI Feel the patient’s heart Pounding—oh please, this once— —JAMES MERRILL I’ll do what I must if I’m bold in real time. A refugee, I’ll be paroled in real time. Cool evidence clawed off like shirts of hell-fire? A former existence untold in real time … The one you would […]
You Personify God’s Message by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
You personify God’s message. You reflect the King’s face. There is nothing in the universe that you are not Everything you want, look for it within yourself- you are that. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of […]
Who Says Words With My Mouth? by Rumi
Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere, I’m sure of that, and I intend to end up there. This drunkenness began in some other tavern. When I get back around to that place, I’ll be completely sober. Meanwhile, I’m like […]
Who is at my door? by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
He said, “Who is at my door?” I said, “Your humble servant.” He said, “What business do you have?” I said, “To greet you, 0 Lord.” He said, “How long will you journey on?” I said, “Until you stop me.” He said, “How long will you boil in the fire?” I said, “Until I am […]
When I am asleep and crumbling in the tomb by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
When I am asleep and crumbling in the tomb, should you come to visit me, I will come forth with speed. You are for me the blast of the trumpet and the resurrection, so what shall I do? Dead or living, wherever you are, there am I. Without your lip I am a frozen and […]
What Hidden Sweetness Is There by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
217 What hidden sweetness there is in this emptiness of the belly! Man is surely like a lute, no more and no less; For if, for instance, the belly of the lute becomes full, no lament high or low will arise from that full lute. If your brain and belly are on fire through fasting, […]
Weary not of us, for we are very beautiful by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Weary not of us, for we are very beautiful; it is out of very jealousy and proper pride that we entered the veil. On the day when we cast of the body’s veil from the soul, you will see that we are the envy of despair of man and the Polestars. Wash your face and […]
We Are As The Flute by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
We are as the flute, and the music in us is from thee; we are as the mountain and the echo in us is from thee. We are as pieces of chess engaged in victory and defeat: our victory and defeat is from thee, O thou whose qualities are comely! Who are we, O Thou […]
Until You’ve Found Pain by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Until you’ve found pain, you won’t reach the cure Until you’ve given up life, you won’t unite with the supreme soul Until you’ve found fire inside yourself, like the Friend, You won’t reach the spring of life, like Khezr. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic […]
Two Kinds of Intelligence by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
There are two kinds of intelligence: one acquired, as a child in school memorizes facts and concepts from books and from what the teacher says, collecting information from the traditional sciences as well as from the new sciences. With such intelligence you rise in the world. You get ranked ahead or behind others in regard […]
At the Twilight by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
At the twilight, a moon appeared in the sky; Then it landed on earth to look at me. Like a hawk stealing a bird at the time of prey; That moon stole me and rushed back into the sky. I looked at myself, I did not see me anymore; For in that moon, my body […]
This is Love by Rumi
to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First, to let go of live. In the end, to take a step without feet; to regard this world as invisible, and to disregard what appears to be the self. Heart, I said, what a gift it has been to enter this circle of lovers, to […]
This Will Not Win Him by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Reason says, I will win him with my eloquence. Love says, I will win him with my silence. Soul says, How can I ever win him When all I have is already his? He does not want, he does not worry, He does not seek a sublime state of euphoria – How then can I […]
This we Have Now by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
This we have now is not imagination. This is not grief or joy. Not a judging state, or an elation, or sadness. Those come and go. This is the presence that doesn’t. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate […]
This is Love by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First, to let go of live. In the end, to take a step without feet; to regard this world as invisible, and to disregard what appears to be the self. Heart, I said, what a gift it […]
This Aloneness by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
This aloneness is worth more than a thousand lives. This freedom is worth more than all the lands on earth. To be one with the truth for just a moment, Is worth more than the world and life itself. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic […]
There is a Way by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
There is a way between voice and presence where information flows. In disciplined silence it opens. With wandering talk it closes. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry Monster — the multilingual library of […]
There is a life-force within your soul by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
There is a life-force within your soul, seek that life. There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that mine. O traveler, if you are in search of That Don’t look outside, look inside yourself and seek That. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems […]
There is a Community of Spirit by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
There is a community of the spirit. Join it, and feel the delight of walking in the noisy street and being the noise. Drink all your passion, and be a disgrace. Close both eyes to see with the other eye. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by […]
There is a Candle in your Heart by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
There is a candle in the heart of man, waiting to be kindled. In separation from the Friend, there is a cut waiting to be stitched. O, you who are ignorant of endurance and the burning fire of love– Love comes of its own free will, it can’t be learned in any school. ————— The […]
There is a Candle in your Heart by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
There is a candle in the heart of man, waiting to be kindled. In separation from the Friend, there is a cut waiting to be stitched. O, you who are ignorant of endurance and the burning fire of love– Love comes of its own free will, it can’t be learned in any school. ————— The […]
There Are A Hundred Kinds Of Prayer (Quatrain in Farsi with English Translation) by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
emrôz chô har rôz, kharâb-êm kharâb ma-g’shâ dar andêsha-wo bar gîr rabâb Sad gôna namâz-ast-o rukû`-ast-o sujûd ân-râ ke jamâl-é dôst bâsh-ad miHrâb Today, like every day, we are ruined, ruined (by “wine”). Don’t open the door of worry, but take up the lute! There are a hundred kinds of prayer, bowing, and prostration6 For […]
The Freshness by Rumi
you are more beautiful. And the snow brings me even closer to your lips. The inner secret, that which was never born, you are that freshness, and I am with you now. I can’t explain the goings, or the comings. You enter suddenly, and I am nowhere again. Inside the majesty. Rumi (Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad […]
The Breeze at Dawn by Jelaluddin Rumi
Don’t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, […]
The time has come for us to become madmen in your chain by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
The time has come for us to become madmen in your chain, to burst our bonds and become estranged from all; To yield up our souls, no more to bear the disgrace of such a soul, to set fire to our house, and run like fire to the tavern. Until we ferment, we shall not […]
The Taste of Morning by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Time’s knife slides from the sheath, as fish from where it swims. Being closer and closer is the desire of the body. Don’t wish for union! There’s a closeness beyond that. Why would God want a second God? Fall in love in such a way that it frees you from any connecting. Love is the […]
The springtime of Lovers has come by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
The springtime of Lovers has come, that this dust bowl may become a garden; the proclamation of heaven has come, that the bird of the soul may rise in flight. The sea becomes full of pearls, the salt marsh becomes sweet as kauthar, the stone becomes a ruby from the mine, the body becomes wholly […]
The Self We Share by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Thirst is angry with water. Hunger bitter with bread. The cave wants nothing to do with the sun. This is dumb, the self- defeating way we’ve been. A gold mine is calling us into its temple. Instead, we bend and keep picking up rocks from the ground. Every thing has a shine like gold, but […]
The Seed Market by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Can you find another market like this? Where, with your one rose you can buy hundreds of rose gardens? Where, for one seed get a whole wilderness? For one weak breath, a divine wind? You’ve been fearful of being absorbed in the ground, or drawn up by the air. Now, your waterbead lets go and […]
The ravings which my enemy uttered I heard within my heart by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
The ravings which my enemy uttered I heard within my heart; the secret thoughts he harbored against me I also perceived. His dog bit my foot, he showed me much injustice; I do not bite him like a dog, I have bitten my own lip. Since I have penetrated into the secrets of individuals like […]
The beauty of the heart by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
The beauty of the heart is the lasting beauty: its lips give to drink of the water of life. Truly it is the water, that which pours, and the one who drinks. All three become one when your talisman is shattered. That oneness you can’t know by reasoning. ————— The End And that’s the End […]
A Stone I died by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
A stone I died and rose again a plant; A plant I died and rose an animal; I died an animal and was born a man. Why should I fear? What have I lost by death? ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry […]
Soul Receives From Soul by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Soul receives from soul that knowledge, therefore not by book nor from tongue. If knowledge of mysteries come after emptiness of mind, that is illumination of heart. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by topic and subject. Poetry Monster — the ultimate repository of world poetry. Poetry […]
Some Kiss We Want by Rumi
our whole lives, the touch of spirit on the body. Seawater begs the pearl to break its shell. And the lily, how passionately it needs some wild darling! At night, I open the window and ask the moon to come and press its face against mine. Breathe into me. Close the language- door and open […]
Sleep of the Body the Soul’s Awakening by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Every night Thou freest our spirits from the body And its snare, making them pure as rased tablets. Every night spirits are released from this cage, And set free, neither lording it nor lorded over. At night prisoners are unaware of their prison, At night kings are unaware of their majesty. Then there is no […]
Quatrain 1693 (Farsi with English Translation) by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
ay sâqî, az-ân bâda ke awwal dâd-î riTlê dô dar andâz-o be-y-afzâ shâdî yâ châshniyê az-ân na-bâyast namûd yâ mast-o kharâb kon, chô sar be-g’shâd-î English Translation O cupbearer, from that wine which you first gave, Toss in two [more] cups worth and increase (my) happiness. Either a taste of it must not be made […]
Passion makes the old medicine new: by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Passion makes the old medicine new: Passion lops off the bough of weariness. Passion is the elixir that renews: how can there be weariness when passion is present? Oh, don’t sigh heavily from fatigue: seek passion, seek passion, seek passion! ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by […]
Out of Your Love by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Out of your love the fire of youth will rise. In the chest, visions of the soul will rise. If you are going to kill me, kill me, it is alright. When the friend kills, a new life will rise. ————— The End And that’s the End of the Poem © Poetry Monster, 2021. Poems by […]
Only Breath by Jelaluddin Rumi
Buddhist, sufi, or zen. Not any religion or cultural system. I am not from the East or the West, not out of the ocean or up from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not composed of elements at all. I do not exist, am not an entity in this world or in the next, did […]
One Whisper of the Beloved by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Lovers share a sacred decree – to seek the Beloved. They roll head over heels, rushing toward the Beautiful One like a torrent of water. In truth, everyone is a shadow of the Beloved – Our seeking is His seeking, Our words are His words. At times we flow toward the Beloved like a dancing […]