Friday, February 4, 2011

Someone Digging in the Ground

May Picture, by Paul Klee

An eye is meant to see things.
The soul is here for its own joy.
A head has one use: for loving a true love.
Legs: to run after.

Love is for vanishing into the sky. The mind,
for learning what men have done and tried to do.
Mysteries are not to be solved. The eye goes blind
when it only wants to see why.

A lover is always accused of something.
But when he finds his love, whatever was lost
in the looking comes back completely changed.

On the way to Mecca, many dangers: thieves,
the blowing sand, only camel's milk to drink.

Still, each pilgrim kisses the black stone there
with pure longing, feeling in the surface
the taste of the lips he wants.

This talk is like stamping new coins. They pile up,
while the real work is being done outside
by someone digging in the ground.

5 comments:

  1. This one I am not so sure about Ruthi, I would have to say the real question that is the key to life, isn't that at all.

    But rather does Love put it's pants on one leg at a time?

    and what if it should wear a skirt? then what? Right leg first or left? or hold the waist open and the two leg hop (which sometimes results in no legs in the skirt or any combination of one in one out, etc and a concussion, of the Russian persuasion) and with the advent of the utilikilt, skirts are no longer just for the women or the men comfortable with orientation.

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  2. Wonderful Rumi, and equally impressive comment from Who. Well might we ask: 'Does Love put it's pants on one leg at a time?'

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  3. ruth i'm grateful for this gentle reminder . . ."The eye goes blind
    when it only wants to see why" and of course this "the real work is being done outside by someone digging in the ground." there are riches beneath the surface. th surface is the key to the deep mapping. steven

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  4. This was powerful for me too --
    "The eye goes blind
    when it only wants to see why."

    outside
    digging in
    I work my way
    to the bone.

    Louise

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  5. "The eye goes blind
    when it only wants to see why."
    Interesting. (one thinks of scientists, though, are they blind? Businessmen--yes, but I don't think they ask why, just "how much")

    Need to get outside in the ground and dig (I do love that!). Love the Klee, not incidentally! It could be a field from above!

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At the request of a Rumi Reader, I have enabled comments, because I agree that someone, sometime might want to write about the power of Rumi's words. So many times they have met me in ways I just have to share, and so I want you to have that opportunity here. There is no expectation for comments, but please do write something if you feel the urge. ~ Ruth