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