Paths of These Love Poems
Favorite Poems on Passion, Partners and Love's Plights
Please note that these poems are reproduced without permission and are intended purely to share my pleasure in the following pages of poetry with my small group of interested friends. The words are so delicious and sensuous and smart and playful to this Granny, who grew up in the freezing gray world of Minnesota's rural prairie during the war. Why wouldn't we spend all our money on books of poetry?
If you gain a mature companion--
a fellow traveler, right-living, enlightened--
overcoming all dangers
go with him, gratified,
mindful.
I asked for one kiss: you gave me six.
Who was teacher is now student.
Things good and generous take form
in me, and the air is clear.
— Open Secret: Versions of Rumi,
translated by Coleman Barks
Out beyond the ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing
there is a field. I'll meet you there.
— Rumi
Ideas, language, even the phrase 'each other,'
doesn't make any sense.
— Rumi
Follow these links to other poetry topics:
"Rumi is the language of ecstacy and longing,
the eternal invitation not only to hear the wave of the distant ocean
but to feel it splash about in our hearts.
Rumi is all about inclusiveness."
"Rumi was an enlightened lover, a true human being, realized,
whatever you want to call those who truly get to be themselves."
— Coleman Barks
About these poems which needed to be released from their cages,
"Rumi's is the quiet ecstasy of the lover's sigh,
and Barks is his accomplice."
— Bill Moyers
One-half of knowing
what you want
is knowing what you
must give up
before you get it.
~ Sidney Howard
