Ready to drink every flame
rocking and rolling
what have you been drinking
please let me know
you must be drunk
going house to house
wandering from street to street
who have you been with
who have you kissed
who’s face have you been fondling
you are my soul
you are my life
i swear my life and love is yours
so tell me the truth
where is that fountainhead
the one you’ve been drinking from
don’t hide this secret
lead me to the source
fill my jug over and over again
last night i finally caught
your attention in the crowd
it was your image filling my dream
telling me to stop this wandering
stop this search for
good and evil
i said my dear prophet
give me some of
that you’ve drunk for ecstasy of life
if i let you drink you said
any of this burning flame
it will scorch your mouth and throat
your portion has been
given already by heaven
ask for more at your peril
i lamented and begged
i desire much more
please show me the source
i have no fear
to burn my mouth and throat
i’m ready to drink every flame and more
Rumi - Translation by Nader Khalili
“Rumi - Fountain of Fire”
Cal-Earth Press, 1995
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Yet certainly some of what we have to drink is more sustaining and some less. Think, for example, of people born into circumstances where poverty, lack of education or violence made their own potential to write poetry something that wasn’t realized.
Comment by Paul Maurice Martin — March 26, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
Ketya dookh, bhookh sad maar
Eh bhi daat teri daataar
- From the Guru Granth Sahib
(As far as I understand, this implies that all kinds of adversities are as much a gift from the Almighty as the happier times are.)
Comment by Sidhusaaheb — March 26, 2008 @ 10:04 pm