You have seen a herd of goats
going down to the water.
The lame and dreamy goat
brings up the rear.
There are worried faces about that one,
but now they're laughing,
because look, as they return,
that one is leading.
There are many different ways of knowing.
The lame goat's kind is a branch
that traces back to the roots of presence.
Learn from the lame goat,
and lead the herd home.
The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
ReplyDeleteI think the knowing that comes at the back of the crowd is good preparation for leading back home. I was the tail end of my seven siblings, and i observed a lot over the years, from their colorful mistakes. :-)
Not that I didn't make plenty of my own . . .
Lame and dreamy, what a combination. In the hills around El Griego, where I do my mountain biking, I have sometimes come across groups of mountain goats, perhaps a half dozen or so, more like a family than a herd. I found it quite thrilling for some reason. I'll think about today's post next time I am around them.
ReplyDeleteI worry about the lame goat. I hope he is better now.
ReplyDeleteNice blog site! I like it!
Thanks for all the varied goats and the fine poem. It's such a great idea to stay close to Rumi!
ReplyDeleteThere are many different ways of knowing. Everyone has something to teach us even the most unlikely - often the most unlikely.
ReplyDelete