Monday, June 27, 2016

Listening


What is the deep listening?  Sama is
a greeting from the secret ones inside

the heart, a letter.  The branches of 
your intelligence grow new leaves in

the wind of this listening.  The body
reaches a peace.  Rooster sound comes,

reminding you of your love for dawn.
The reed flute and singer's lips:  

the knack of how spirit breathes into
us becomes as simple and ordinary as 

eating and drinking.  The dead rise with
the pleasure of listening.  If someone 

can't hear a trumpet melody, sprinkle
dirt on his head and declare him dead.  

Listen and feel the beauty of your
separation, the unsayable absence.  

There's a moon inside every human being.
Learn to be companions with it.  Give

more of your life to this listening.  As 
brightness is to time, so you are to

the one who talks to the deep ear in 
your chest.  I should sell my tongue

and buy a thousand ears when that
one steps near and begins to speak.





Rumi
Translated by Coleman Barks
Photo:  Peter Bowers