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Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1888, from Molana Rumi's
"Diwan-e Shams", in poetic versions from Coleman Barks and
Jonathan Star, and in translation by A.J. Arberry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is some kiss we want
with 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 the love-window.
The moon won't use the door,
only the window.
-- Poetic version by Coleman Barks
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come here and catch a kiss
from those ruby lips.
And if it costs you your life,
consider it a bargain!
But that kiss is too pure to mix with dust –
You must become a floating spirit,
free from this body.
The Ocean of Purity said to me:
Nothing is attained without effort.
To get the precious pearl
you must first smash the shell.
For the rose's kiss
This whole world is parching its lily-lips.
I dare say,
Even if you have the splendor of every king,
And the beauty of Mars and Venus,
don't accept a kiss
from the beguiling Maiden.
O Moon of the dark sky – come in.
I have opened the window for you.
Tonight, touch my face,
press your lips upon mine.
Close the door of words
that the window of your heart may open –
The Moon's kiss
only comes through an open window.
-- Poetic version by Jonathan Star
"Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved"
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come, how much is a kiss from that precious ruby? If a kiss is
for a life, it is a duty to buy.
Since the kiss is pure and not proper to earth, I will become a
disengaged spirit, I will emerge from this body.
The sea of purity said to me, "No aspiration is granted gratis;
the pearl of price is with you – come, break the shell."
For a kiss of the rose, which confers splendor on wine, the
whole world is putting out its tongue like a lily.
I blunder, if you be all kings, if you be like Mars and the moon,
ask not for a kiss from that untamed Darling.
Enter, moon of heaven, for I have opened the window; for one
night shine on my face, press your lips on mine.
Close the door of speech and open the heart's window; you
will not obtain a kiss of this moon save by way of the window.
-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 2"
The University of Chicago Press, 1991
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