Beloved reached desired glow And so we say, may it be so All doubts towards faith did grow And so we say, may it be so The devil’s plot caused perturbation And the nation faced agitation; Once again was Solomon’s nation And so we say, may it be so Beloved who put my heart in pain Closed doors on my ... »
O Love, you brought forth a jug Filled with the ache that my heart clog I won’t drink this wine, this drug! Drink but for my heart’s sake! From this wine poured me a cup Wisely his praises I brought up Bittersweet, pleasing to sup Like the praises my heart would make. From the Wheel of Fortune and f... »
I am enslaved to fate Other than fate say not a thing Honey is sweet, tastes great Other than great say not a thing Of pain speak nothing If joy not bring, say not a thing If for you this has no ring Joyously sing, say not a thing I had once gone insane Love whispered when saw my pain, “I’ve c... »
Thou art my King, Thou art my King To my heart and soul faith Thou shalt bring With Thy loving breath infuse me with life Not just one single soul, my every soul Thou string. Without Thee taking bread, is of poison being fed Thou art water and bread to which with life I cling. Poison if Thou willed,... »
Multi-layered existence I know not, I know not The magical artist of time I know not, I know not Hardship, struggle, confusion, I am taught, I am taught Congenial moodiness I know not, I know not My soul is after joy Entertainers will employ This joy seeking existence I know not, I know not This lio... »
Why think this ethereal thing is the soul And a nugget of gold a treasured goal? In search of gold, digging deep, why? Thinking the earth to be the sky Why consider ghastly temptations To be the beauty of the nations? Why like a worm crawl with earthly lust And consider lovers lower than dust? Why d... »
Come along, come along, the fields are a-flower Come along, come along, it’s the lover’s hour. Come along, all at once, every soul and all the world Bathe yourselves in the sun’s golden arrows’ shower. Mock the crone who is left without a companion Weep for the lonesome he, who has left his lover. E... »
O Pilgrims O Pilgrims, thou art where, thou art where? The Beloved is neigh, come hither, come hither. Thy beloved is thy neighbor, behind the wall Lost in the desert, you are seeking and you fall; If that lovely faceless face you once see Pilgrim and shrine and house you know are all thee. From hou... »
I was dead, became alive Was tearful, laughingly thrive With love survive, my only drive I have become eternal. My eyes no longer seek Am courageous, no more meek Daring lion, far from weak Shine like Venus celestial. Said, “madness is not thy code You don’t deserve this abode.” With mad... »
This day, at the tavern, with the drunk we sit This day, we let go of piety, prayer and holy writ This day, what can I say, what a feast and wine is it This day, the cup-bearer is kind and full of wit This day, no sign of our passage, not even one whit This day, with the beloved I am a hit This day,... »
Lovers alas, lovers alas Whoever sees that faceless face Confusion in him amass Desperation will embrace. For beloved cross every pass Worldly affairs slow their pace A flowing brook amidst the grass Flowing tears his face shall trace His ego is shattered glass Self-estranged, himself deface Sense t... »
With all my soul I search and seek My environ my eyes do trick Where is it gone? Why is it missed? Nowhere to be found in this earthly feast In every direction I glance and peek Yet its signs to me don’t speak O pious men, where is that beauty That like a candle glows in duty. Affirm that name, whoe... »
Each breath is a song of love From left and right, pass us by We’ll return to the world above Such fate no-one can defy. We have come from the skies Befriended angels in heaven To the same place we will rise To that city past skies seven. We are above the skies And angels we transcend Why should we ... »
Open the door to yet another initiate Offer some wine, his drunkenness accelerate You had closed the doors to the upper rooms Came the command from yet a higher estate. You who have fulfilled all my desires Yet another desire, my heart infatuate. Your beautiful face is another country The curl of yo... »
I knocked on heart’s door, for heart I crave Came, “who knocks?” I said, “heart’s slave!” The bright beams of love shone through the door’s crack Upon the passers by, and lit up that deep black Wave upon wave of lovely beams, my heart was over-run Compared to this bright ligh... »
The heart that you’ve lost, seek from your soul Your life’s serenity seek from your soul Abdicate body’s throne, and put on your soul’s crown Traverse the skies, Saturn of your soul extol Sugar’s incomplete, it only tastes sweet When between your teeth, on your tongue roll Prophetic message divine, ... »
My beloved I once saw Around the room pace & dance Plucking the strings in awe Singing in a state of trance Fingers fiery flame Playing a song of old fame Joyous, drunken, and tame The night spirits enhance Stylishly would amuse Singing was the excuse Wine was the main news As the wine-bearers ... »
When we enter the excitement of the night We’ll amass gifts from the ocean of the night The night veils the unseen witness from sight We cannot compare the day to the night. Sleep will not want, from sleep will take flight He who has never seen the picturesque night. Many a pure soul and heart that ... »
Everyday I meditate upon this, and every night I groan Why is my own existence to myself the least known? Whence have I come, why this coming here? Where to must I go, when will my home to me be shown? I am in desperate awe, why was I ever created? For this, my creation, whatsoever was the reason? W... »
Once again my beloved sought me and found Joyously in the marketplace sought me and found. I hid myself, at my feet that drunken rose, rose from the ground I escaped the House of Wine, sought me and found. How wondrous that so doggedly would hound What luck that such swindling lock sought me and fou... »
I need a lover and a friend All friendships you transcend And impotent I remain You are Noah and the Ark You are the light and the dark Behind the veil I remain You are passion and are rage You are the bird and the cage Lost in flight I remain You are the wine and the cup You are the ocean and the d... »
Those to Mecca on pilgrimage When reached their destined stage Saw a home made out of stone Amidst the desert carnage. In that house they sought God Yet empty they found that cage; Discharged their dutiful prayers From the stone heard a message: “O idol-worshipers, why praise mud and stone Wor... »
My beloved came to my side Revived the place where I reside I said tonight you are my fellow My temptress, my joy implied. Said, work of some import, dear I have now identified. I swear to God, if you depart I will not last, with you denied. At least for a night, show some mercy For the misery I can... »
Why think thus O men of piety I have returned to sobriety I am neither a Moslem nor a Hindu I am not Christian, Zoroastrian, nor Jew I am neither of the West nor the East Not of the ocean, nor an earthly beast I am neither a natural wonder Nor from the stars yonder Neither flesh of dust, nor wind in... »
For the love of God, no other love seek In the abode of Soul, no other task seek Other than the Beloved, never seek another mate Seek not to doubt, trivia make you weak. Another love, another task, is an impossible fate In thy Godly faith, seek not doubt’s stench & reek In soul’s territory, hea... »
Once more I seek audience with my very own King Once again joyously I have spread my soul’s wing. Once more fate and fortune will beseech That in this earthly camp, my tent I should pitch. We gave credence to the angels as well as to the beast The soul’s bird returned once more to Solomon’s soulful ... »
I went on a journey without me There I found joy without me The moon that hid, could not see Cheek to cheek with me, without me For beloved set my soul free I was reborn without me Without spirit drunk are we Always happy without me Erase me from memory I remember, without me Without me with joy I p... »
To the call of the tavern arise, arise Fear not separation, be wise, be wise A kingly feast is your prize, your prize Intoxicated souls don’t despise, despise You too drink this wine, see the disguise Appearance of the Lord is a needed surprise. You are all drunk, and your watery eyes Like the shini... »
My desert is without end, My soul, my heart must rend. The world here out-pictured, In which picture I descend? If on the path you see a head Rolling itself around the bend Ask our secret from that head On its answers you can depend. What turned you to a flying bird Solomon’s confidant and friend? H... »
Go and die, go and die, For this love go and die, When in this love you die You will let spirits fly. Go and die, go and die, Fear no death, don’t be shy When in this dust you lie Your spirit will soar up high. Go and die, go and die, Let this existence pass by This existence is your tie And prisone... »
Separation from companions is unwise Treading the path without light is unwise If the throne and scepter have been your prize Descent from prince to pauper is unwise. For Beloved, the you in you is disguise To focus on the you in you is unwise. If once to heavenly abundance you rise Desperation and ... »
In my work, all my time, idly spend I am in love, to the depths of love descend. The lion of thy longing hunted me down This same lion in my trap will find its end. On the shores of thy ocean is my hometown Kissed by waves, though depths upward won’t send. In the heavenly spirits and wine I drown Wo... »
To this world you have brought the fragrance Yet perfume you have hidden from appearance A million excitements this aroma belies That you have thrown upon the earth and the skies. From thy own radiant light and heat You have set fire to the mind and soul’s seat From taking thy life-giving jewel The ... »
O heart, when the secrets themselves unveiled No more exerted yourself, nor travailed In your imagination and madness remain Why senses regain, why your mind hailed? Like Romeo in senseless chaos All orders before you failed. Ingesting spirits if you refrain Why in the market drunken wailed? Idlenes... »
Hail Love, hail Love, because Love is divine It is tender, it is beautiful and benign What passion, what passion, we are burning like the sun It is hidden and obscure, it is an obvious sign. We’ve fallen, we’ve fallen, it is hard to rise up We know not, we know not, this complex chaotic design. Hail... »
Take heed, take heed, take heed, Two or three crooks are on the loose Thoughtfully in deception they succeed Even the moon they will abuse. Two or three vagrants have taken lead Joyous, aware, laughter they breed They shout, command, order indeed Will make the earth pay her dues. They befriend that ... »
In such revealing nights I swoon Others crescent is my full moon The night when beloved is in our midst A night as revealing as a hundred high noon. Around us impotent causality fails For I long for the day that First Cause unveils A mendicant poverty won’t shun Others’ hardships he proudly entrails... »
Two or three crooks in the streets are on the beat They will cheat even the moon, with their deceit. Charlatans, aware in mind, joyous of heart With their shouts shake firmaments from their seat Befriend that hidden face that all souls seek With those glaring eyes they just stare and mistreat Though... »
Alas that beautiful beloved Alas that beautiful beloved where hence? Alas that graceful Goddess where hence? In our midst like a candle brightly shone Where hence, alas, without us where hence? Like a shivering leaf my heart constantly moan Beloved left at midnight, where hence? Ask wayfarers to hav... »
O blaze of the world you are dear, you are dear O beholding the beloved, keep near, keep near I am the creation, I am the house I am the trap and the mouse I am wise and mad, stay here, stay here I am the secrets you can’t see Cloak and turban are both me I am the cloister and the monk, do appear, d... »
Go to sleep Leave me alone At nights I leap Up, on my own. With waves of desire Day and night, all alone Compassion inspire Else vengeful fits are thrown. From me run away Afflictions I’ve sown For wholeness must pray Else hardships are grown. With my tearful eyes And melancholic groan Well of tears... »
Spring is nigh, spring is nigh Beautiful spring has come by The whole world is green and fresh Tulips raise their heads up high. Listen to the Lily, sweet Basil Lily in ten tongues speaks so well Watch the waters and the dusty fields How colors and shapes multiply. Flowers try to understand How they... »
Let go of deceptions O heart Madness embrace, madness embrace Moth-like, go to the heart of the hearth Fire face, fire face Make yourself a stranger Turn your home to a manger With the lovers of this danger Cohabitate in one place, in one place Open your heart like a tray Vengeance wash away and pra... »
Upon which path did I tread So I return, all else I dread; From Beloved being apart In the creed of Love is being misled. If I find another in the whole town Ain’t but a sign pointing to the Beloved. I said this is no easy path In each step a thousand traps spread O broken heart come not this way St... »
Alas that now from our midst you are gone In spite of the pain you resist, you are gone Once the circle of friends you blissed Now with the dust of ants and snakes blissed, you are gone. What of all the knowledge you endlessly list What of such mind, in the secret list you are gone. What of the help... »
O friend of mine, O friend of mine, O heedless lovely dread of mine Compassionate unwed of mine Thy grace, worrisome head of mine. Most welcome is this soul of mine My cure, filling this hole of mine O faith and control of mine Thou rich ocean bed of mine. Caring companion of mine Happy dominion of ... »
Hawk told the statue over land I glide Statue said, “I’m fine, enjoy your ride.” When I am glad, I can go to sleep But go for a walk when I’m sad and weep If in the bottom of a dark well dwell For handsome Joseph, at least, must fare well. Where beloved is, is ideal place Bottom of a wel... »
That barbed wire on your path is the mind Cut the wire and your path clearly find. Heart trickster, soul veil and mind bind To find the path you must put all three behind. When you transcend heart and soul as well as mind It is like giving sight to the blind. Make your chest like a target well defin... »
Like a connoisseur I shall seek the bouquet of that wine Both worlds and their dignitaries I shall put out of line. I’ll climb the tall mountain and of love raise the sign With a humble and clear heart I shall sigh and confess If for a year or so in the bottom of a pit confine The mad heart-stricken... »
We today from strangers cannot divide So drunk that we don’t know where we reside. In this love, we departed our very mind Madness and desperation we cannot hide. In this trap they said there is a hidden bait So trapped, we are the bait they implied. Spare us the moral of this story Stories and fant... »
Anything but Love upon this path is idolatry Other than light of thy union is doubtful oratory Whoever sees but the Beloved, sees astray The lover’s seeing eye can only see God’s glory. Pass up all spirits, pick your cup from the divine tray Drink of the spirit of Love, the sole elixir in history. T... »
O heart let go of your soul Until you see the soul maker Leave behind this deceptive faker So you reach your real goal. Unless you pass through here You will never reach the beyond Free yourself from worldly bond Doubtless clear, to you appear. If it is a sign that you seek In this path, my dear fri... »
I am enslaved to fate, of all else say no more With a sweet tongue speak, else I plea say no more Speak not of troubles, of treasures tell me more And if of this you know not, be not troubled, say no more. I have gone insane, Love found me, then whispered in my ear “I am here, cry not aloud, c... »
Tell me, is sugar sweeter Or He who makes sugar cane? Beauty of the moon is better Or He who makes it wax and wane? Leave all the moons behind Put sugar out of your mind In Him another you’ll find He makes another kind of grain. O mind you may be wise In knowledge and insight may rise Or is it bette... »
Like a candle I shine, reflecting the light Turn my fortune so I can shed myself candle-like The promise of the morning breeze, of joining Thee day and night Burning, yellow, shaking, crying and humble, candle-like. Thy flowing hair, like scissors sheer my soul at its height In this fire of separati... »
You closed your eyes, meaning it’s time to sleep It is not sleep, that upon your enemies heap. You know that a close watch we do not keep Yet hurried are your eyes, drunken, deadly, deep. You do me wrong, but that is your treat Your mistakes, like God’s grace, I gladly greet. Many heads are lost whe... »
Away bitterness, keep my taste sweet My mouthful of wine, never deplete Unveil and disrobe my morning gown Naked come forth, and the dawn greet. In the house of efforts there is no chance He ceases not, my goals how can I meet? In that wine, I find, my treasures lie Seeing His face my soul will comp... »
O God, give the players sweetness and weal And for the tabbla, give them hands of steel. For their love, they sacrifice every limb Of limbs O God, please give them a great deal. These messengers of love filled our ears Grant them seeing eyes and thy Royal Seal. These lovebirds sing and cry out their... »
I am drunk and you are mad Who’ll take us home and make us glad? Said a hundred times, if you had Two or three cups less, won’t be bad. In this town I do complain Every person seems insane In this place madness like rain Washes wisdom down the drain. In the tavern of my soul Carpet of joy will unrol... »
The burning orb of the East Is our honored guest tonight And the bright moon in this feast With us will rest tonight. Alert, vicious, stressed Heavens dissolve and arrest The fields of final rest Our final test tonight. Clap your hands in surprise Excited, with us rise Dance in our enterprise While ... »