One of my favorite Sufi poets, Hafiz, has been coming into my world these days, so here are three lovely and compelling poems from him:
“Every child has known God,
Not the God of names,
Not the God of don’ts,
Not the God who ever does anything weird,
But the God who knows only four words.
And keeps repeating them, saying:
‘Come dance with me, come dance.’”
— Hafiz – (translation by Daniel Ladinsky)
The Happy Virus
I caught the happy virus last night
When I was out singing beneath the stars.
It is remarkably contagious –
So kiss me.
~ Hafiz – From: The subject tonight is love – 60 Wild and Sweet Poems of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky
Tiny Gods
Some gods say, the tiny ones
“I am not here in your vibrant, moist lips
That need to beach themselves upon
the golden shore of a
Naked body.”
Some gods say, “I am not
the sacred yearning in the unrequited soul;
I am not the blushing cheek
Of every star and Planet–
I am not the applauding Chef
Of those precious sections that can distill
The whole mind into a perfect wincing jewel, if only
For a moment
Nor do I reside in every pile of sweet warm dung
Born of earth’s
Gratuity.”
Some gods say, the ones we need to hang,
“your mouth is not designed to know His,
Love was not born to consume
the luminous
realms.”
Dear ones,
Beware of the tiny gods frightened men
Create
To bring an anesthetic relief
To their sad
Days.
~ Hafiz ~ (The Gift – versions of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky)