Another One from Rumi

Rumi, as in my previous post, is known as the Persian Poet but I referred to him as Afghanistan because he was after all, born in Balkh, the location of which is the present-day Afghanistan. His writings, and the local dialect he used reflect his Persian heritage. Though his words were written in the 13th century, the verses never cease to lose its appeal many centuries after, as it does to me.


Love came,
and became like blood in my body.
It rushed through my veins and encircled my heart.
Everywhere I looked,
I saw one thing.
The Beloved's name written
on my limbs,
on my left palm,
on my forehead,
on the back of my neck,
on my right big toe.
Oh, my friend,
all that you see of me is just a shell,
and the rest belongs to the Beloved.