Conversations with God

Before I ended up in this dungeon of the world,

I was with you all the time.

How I wish I’d never fallen into

This earthly trap.

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I kept telling you over and over again:

“I’m perfectly happy here.

I don’t want to go anywhere.

To travel from this exaltation down to earth

Is just too difficult a journey.”

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You sent me anyway:

“Go, don’t be scared.

No harm will come to you.

I will always be with you.”

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You persuaded me by saying:

“If you go, you’ll gain new experiences.

You’ll progress on your path.

You’ll be far more mature

When you come back home.”

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I replied: “O Essence of Knowledge,

What good is all this learning and information

Without you?

Who could leave you for knowledge,

Unless he has no knowledge of you?”

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When I drink wine from your hand,

I haven’t a care in the world.

I become drunk and happy.

I couldn’t care less about gain or loss,

Or people's good or bad features.

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The Sultan whispered a few words into my ear.

They were like the words of bandits

And left me confused and out of control.

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This is a long story about his deceptions

If he really wants to do me a favor,

Let an early dawn end this dark night.

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Songs to Shams, Songs to God

From ‘The Forbidden Rumi:

The Suppressed Poems of Rumi

on Love, Heresy and Intoxication’

https://youtu.be/uus3Fh4QmRA?feature=shared