Conversations with God

Before I ended up in this dungeon of the world,

I was with you all the time.

How I wish I’d never fallen into

This earthly trap.

I kept telling you over and over again:

“I’m perfectly happy here.

I don’t want to go anywhere.

To travel from this exaltation down to earth

Is just too difficult a journey.”

You sent me anyway:

“Go, don’t be scared.

No harm will come to you.

I will always be with you.”

You persuaded me by saying:

“If you go, you’ll gain new experiences.

You’ll progress on your path.

You’ll be far more mature

When you come back home.”

I replied: “O Essence of Knowledge,

What good is all this learning and information

Without you?

Who could leave you for knowledge,

Unless he has no knowledge of you?”

When I drink wine from your hand,

I haven’t a care in the world.

I become drunk and happy.

I couldn’t care less about gain or loss,

Or people's good or bad features.

The Sultan whispered a few words into my ear.

They were like the words of bandits

And left me confused and out of control.

This is a long story about his deceptions

If he really wants to do me a favor,

Let an early dawn end this dark night.

Songs to Shams, Songs to God

from ‘The Forbidden Rumi:

The Suppressed Poems of Rumi

on Love, Heresy + Intoxication’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeM_px0IgYs

For You, Beloved