Rumi- An oldie but a goodie

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I WAS READY TO TELL

the story of my life

but the ripple of tears

and the agony of my heart

wouldn't let me

 

i began to stutter

saying a word here and there

and all along i felt

as tender as a crystal

ready to be shattered

 

in this stormy sea

we call life

all the big ships

come apart

board by board

 

how can i survive

riding a lonely

little boat

with no oars

and no arms

 

my boat did finally break

by the waves

and i broke free

as i tied myself

to a single board

 

though the panic is gone

i am now offended

why should i be so helpless

rising with one wave

and falling with the next

 

i don't know

if i am

nonexistence

while i exist

but i know for sure

when i am

i am not

but

when i am not

then i am

 

now how can i be

a skeptic

about the

resurrection and

coming to life again

 

since in this world

i have many times

like my own imagination

died and

been born again

 

that is why

after a long agonizing life

as a hunter

i finally let go and got

hunted down and became free

 

~Rumi, ghazal number 1419,

translated April 17, 1991,

by Nader Khalili