Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Muslim / Sufi 19th Century	About Mirza Ghalib Timeline (1797 - 1869)
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English version by W. S. Merwin and Aijaz Ahmad Original Language Urdu	The drop dies in the river
Commentary by Ivan M. Granger Themes   Bliss   Pain and Wounding   Rose   Smile   Spring Blossom   Recommended Books East Window: Poems from Asia, Translated by W. S. Merwin The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell Lightning Should Have Fallen on Ghalib, by Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib / Translated by Robert Bly Mirza Ghalib: A Creative Biography, by Natalia Il'inichna Prigarina The Oxford India Ghalib: Life, Letters and Ghazals, by Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib / Edited by Ralph Russel More >>	The drop dies in the river of its joy pain goes so far it cures itself in the spring after the heavy rain the cloud disappears that was nothing but tears in the spring the mirror turns green holding a miracle Change the shining wind the rose led us to our eyes let whatever is be open     -- from East Window: Poems from Asia, Translated by W. S. Merwin Amazon.com
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Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

I love every line of this poem, but the line I keep rereading is--

the rose led us to our eyes

The rose is both that which is beautiful in nature, but in Sufi poetry it is also a symbol for the Beloved, the Heart of hearts, God. Truly seeing Beauty, we witness ourselves seeing... and only then do we come to witness ourselves. The rose is not merely beautiful; it tells us of the beauty we are in ourselves. And then we bloom!

let whatever is be open

Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.
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