… “Majesty is that, composite attention felt as a presence, dawn, a company of friends, a splendor that is prior to, and the source of, the universe. Rumi says it is a state of awareness best spoken of in terms of what it is not …” ~ Coleman Barks
Rumi is timeless … he is current and will always be current, his words (rather utterances) are timeless … his poetry is about the here and now … the sacred in everyday life.
Rumi is indeed another part of “you/me/us” giving voice to “our” hearts …. because he realized in his deepest moments of grief (in his search for Shams) that he was already that which he was seeking !!! …
And in that “sense” Rumi truly and fully realized the “oneness” we all arise from (or in actuality are), not just in theory but in the fullness of his being …
So is it any wonder that he became “drunk” with the Divine? … and that all his poems cover the gamut of experience – not just human experience but animal & other experience … and are about the Divine in every aspect of Life – from the mundane to the extraordinary or profound, from profane to sacred …
Coleman Barks has the amazing gift of translating the original Persian/Farsi text in a manner that resonates with the English speaking world … he took the ever present “freshness” that is alive in Rumi and expressed it in English – an incredible feat particularly given that Coleman had never heard of Rumi prior to 1976 when Robert Bly handed him a Rumi translation and said “please release these poems from their cages!” …
So, here’s Rumi on Majesty … reminding us of what we have – now! … brought to us by Coleman Barks …
This we have now
is not imagination.
This is not
grief or joy.
Not a judging state,
or an elation,
or sadness.
Those come
and go.
This is the presence
that doesn’t.
And … This we have now.
….
What else could human beings want?
When grapes turn to wine,
they’re wanting
this.
And … This we have now.
When the night sky pours by,
It’s really a crowd of beggars,
and they all want some of this!
And … This we have now.
This
that we are now
created the body, cell by cell,
like bees building a honeycomb.
The human body and the universe
grew from this, not this
from the universe and the human body.
And … This we have now.
Above poem in italics is an “edited/altered/adapted” version of Rumi’s original poem, titled This We Have Now … the emphases (e.g., repeated inclusion of “And … This we have now.” and bolding) are by Sanjiv Manifest. The original poem and the opening quote is from The Essential Rumi, Translations by Coleman Barks with John Moyne.
The text prior to the poem is largely taken from a post by Sanjiv Manifest.
Image: 1) Ulsan Sunrise by jinsngjung, edited (dimension & logo inserted) CC0 Public Domain. 2) Jumping rope by Hernán Piñera, CC BY-SA 2.0.
This is wonderful. Thank you so much for this beautiful place with so much inspiration and truth.
Thank you for your kind words Janet!
Why did it take so long to see? To find? To know? It’s so simple yet so hard! This presence has obviously been what I am all along. There is nothing without it/me! All is me! Many people said this in many ways before I came to see it. I owe you all for the greatest gift there is. Thanks – Thanks – Thanks.
Thank You Lawrence!
namaste’
sanjiv