—A version of this translation also appears online at Rumi Blog
(27 March 2014)
This poem is a translation of Rumi’s ode 1390 from the “Book of Shams,” his
books of odes (Ghazal). I have called it, “I’ve Come Again,” which refers
to its opening lines.
Jalal al-din Rumi is claimed to be the most widely read poet in North America. Ironically,
he was a 13th-century Persian Sufi Sage, a Professor, Philosopher, and Poet who captured
the rapture of love in spontaneous poetry that his close students and disciples wrote
down as he recited them.
Around 1244, he started to compose an immense collection, or divan, of 40,000 lines
of lyrical verse, which he was to continue for the next 30 years. This “Book of
Shams,” in the ode or “ghazal” form, was dedicated to his spiritual master
and friend, Shams of Tabriz, who sparked a spiritual transformation in an otherwise quiet,
erudite scholar, a metamorphosis which made him a passionate lover of God. Shams introduced
him to the practice of “sama,” a form of rhythmic meditative movement catalyzed
through music and singing of mystical poetry.
In the 1260s, he started his textbook on all aspects of life and the spiritual quest,
the famous Masnavi-e Maanavi, or “Couplets of Inner Meaning.” He did so
at the encouragement of his disciple, Hessam Chalabi, intermittently dictating this monumental
work to Hessam over the next twelve or so years. He opens it with the story of the cry of
the reed flute, crying out the searing pain of its separation from its spiritual source,
the reedbed, and seeking reunion. The 25,000 verses that follow present a succession of
tales, parables, anecdotes, vignettes, and narratives which Rumi uses to elaborate his
mystical thought through practical everyday examples, often taking off on a side bar to
elaborate a concept before he goes on to use it.
Rumi believed that a spiritual guide or teacher should provide sustenance for both common
and elite readers, nourishment to suit the taste and constitution of every potential pupil.
The magnificent rhyme and rhythm were seldom thought out and edited, but rather were flowing
from deep within his enlightened state of consciousness. The universal messages of love,
peace, and passion for truth and ultimately the Divine are agnostic to any culture, geography,
and epoch and find their place at the warm heart of humankind throughout the centuries in all
walks of life.
known simply as Rumi in the West, was a 13th-century Persian poet, scholar, theologian,
judge, and Sufi mystic. He has been described as “the most popular poet in
America” (Charles Haviland, “The roar of Rumi—800 years on,”
BBC News).
Additional
biographical details from The Academy of American Poets
is a scholar of mystical poetry, specifically focusing on translating and providing
commentary and courses on Rumi’s poetry and worldview for academic and social
contexts. He is completing his second book on Rumi entitled Rumi’s Guide
for Lovers and Spiritual Seekers. A sample of his translations can be found at
rumiblog.com.
He is a Distinguished Engineer and Chief Technology Officer for Business Process
Management for IBM.