Excerpt from al-Rumi’s The Glance: Songs of Soul Meeting
The soul come every day at dawn. “Good
to see you again my friend. The peace
of God be with you.” No matter where
you are, or what you’re doing, talking
silent, asleep, soul comes and greets
you like that. Your soul sees your
purity. Body sees your pretension and
deceit. You are a rose that heals
woundedness. “Hello again”, called out
the thorns. I go to the village chief
I say “God be with you” He gives me
a glass of wine “Hold this carefully,
Keep it safe” “The peace of God” I tell
him. “But did you know that I am crazy?”
I like to sit in the fire with Abraham
Then I turn and thank God. Salam.
Aleichem. I walk out. The world is
dense with greeting. I respond in kind,
then back into the cave with my Beloved.
Subtle artworks appear every where. It’s
so fine to be with you. David from the throne
agrees to be thrown down!
Hallaj greets namaste from the cross. One
who is longing for your praise waves
without expecting anything. Someone
deeply in needs signals helplessly
The king puts up an appropriate banner
The sick mouthe ” Hey” I undress and walk
towards whatever next. Every string
on the instruments says salam to
every other. Death brings good health.
I let words loose like mountain run off
Read Surah 61, which warns of finding
images for what has no likeness, and
leave the job I imagines myself with
one thought God bless, adios, do svi-
danye, toodle-oo, au revoir, ciao, aloha,
teshekkir ederiim, may your well run deep
