Rumi: Part 1

It's hard for me to imagine that Coleman Barks' free-verse interpretation of the translations of Rumi's poetry begin to approach the original works.

These guys don't look much like Beat Poets to me.

But, I have to say that this 19th Century Persian painting reminded me of the following from The Essential Rumi:

I called through your door,

"The mystics are gathering

in the street. Come out."

"Leave me alone.

I'm sick."

"I don't care if you're dead!

Jesus is here, and he wants

to resurrect somebody!"

Mystics can converse with one-another. It doesn't matter what clothes or labels they wear or how they get to where they are going. They seem to share a sense of communion - a shared experience of joy.

There's all of this great cosmic joy to be experienced. It calls for the soul to share in it but sometimes the human spirit closes itself off. goes to ground and doesn't want to hear.

Pity.

Sounds like quite a party!