Magical Mystical Teacher

Whirling with Rumi


 
 
Each vignette begins with a phrase culled from The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks.
 

 
~~ 1 ~~
 
The orchard in spring—
apple blossoms fly away
when the old men call.
 
~~ 2 ~~
 
Come to the orchard—
it is time to name the fruit
clinging to the trees.
 
~~ 3 ~~
 
From the other world
comes one whose speech grows orchards
hung with tempting fruit.
 
~~ 4 ~~
 
where the two worlds touch—
faint signs of degradation
smudging leaf and light
 
~~ 5 ~~
 
a grain of barley
doing double duty as
an earthy poem
 
~~ 6 ~~
 
the speechless full moon
filling ten thousand goblets
with unuttered words
 
~~ 7 ~~
 
the one who brings light
this frosty autumn morning
broken in his chains
 
~~ 8 ~~
 
puddle that freezes
making no sense to the drunk
sloshing his vodka
 
~~ 9 ~~
 
For what needs no food
there are no sheets of music
to help guide the dance.
 
~~ 10 ~~
 
little hanging lamps
connected to the plum trees
with frayed bungee cords
 
~~ 11 ~~
 
ancient manuscripts
with vital information
cast into the flames
 
~~ 12 ~~
 
a sugarcane flute
wrapped in strips of red and gold
for the nuptial feast

 
© 2014 by Magical Mystical Teacher
 
 
More Poetry Pantry #221
 
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 181