Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World
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Commentary on the commentary --
My observations on these poems should not be read as the single, absolute meaning. A poem, like a dream, has layers of meaning -- and that meaning can shift over time and from differing perspectives. My commentary is offered in order to suggest a starting point for you to begin your own exploration into the poem's meaning. Even if my explanation feels right on the mark, please don't stop there. We must discover each poem's meaning for ourselves; otherwise the poem and its explanation remain largely trapped in the intellect. Sacred poetry is transformative poetry. Until we feel a poem working its alchemy on our own awareness, we haven't discovered its heart... -- Ivan
| Hafiz Cupbearer, it is morning, fill my cup with wine |
| Hafiz If life remains, I shall go back to the tavern |
| Hafiz Sun Rays |
| Hafiz (Ladinsky, Daniel) A Still Cup |
| Hafiz (Ladinsky, Daniel) No Conflict |
| Hakuin Past, present, future: unattainable |
| Hakuin The monkey is reaching |
| Hallaj (al-Hallaj, Mansur) If They Only Knew |
| Hallaj (al-Hallaj, Mansur) Kill me, my faithful friends |
| Hallaj (al-Hallaj, Mansur) You glide between the heart and its casing |
| Hallaj (al-Hallaj, Mansur) Your spirit is mingled with mine |
| Hamadani, Ayn al-Qozat Nonexistence |
| Hamadani, Ayn al-Qozat Within the eye of the eye |
| Han-shan (Cold Mountain) [162] This rare and heavenly creature |
| Han-shan (Cold Mountain) [203] Above Cold Mountain the moon shines alone |
| Han-shan (Cold Mountain) [235] Here's a message for the faithful |
| Han-shan (Cold Mountain) [253] Children I implore you |
| Han-shan (Cold Mountain) [71] Someone lives in a mountain gorge |
| Hanh, Thich Nhat Interrelationship |
| Hayati, Bibi Before there was a hint of civilization |
| Hayati, Bibi How can I see the splendor of the moon |
| Hayati, Bibi Is it the night of power |
| Hekhalot Hymns (Anonymous) The Face of God |
| Herbert, George Church-Monuments |
| Herbert, George The Altar |
| Hildegard of Bingen Ave generosa / Hymn to the Virgin |
| Hildegard of Bingen Laus Trinitati / Antiphon for the Trinity |
| Hildegard of Bingen O Euchari in leta via / Sequence for Saint Eucharius |
| Hildegard of Bingen O ignis Spiritus Paracliti / Sequence for the Holy Spirit |
| Hildegard of Bingen O nobilissima viriditas / Responsory for Virgins |
| Hildegard of Bingen O spectabiles viri / Antiphon for Patriarchs and Prophets |
| Hildegard of Bingen O virga mediatrix / Alleluia-verse for the Virgin |
| Hirshfield, Jane Tree |
| Ibn 'Arabi, Muhyiddin My heart has become capable of every form |
| Ibn 'Arabi, Muhyiddin When my Beloved appears |
| Ibn 'Arabi, Muhyiddin While the sun's eye rules my sight |
| Ibn al-Farid, Umar I sought her from myself (from The Poem of the Sufi Way) |
| Ibn al-Farid, Umar Resist the calls of wrangling talk (from The Poem of the Sufi Way) |
| Ibn al-Farid, Umar Whispering, then listening close (from The Poem of the Sufi Way) |
| ibn Gabirol, Solomon "Rise and open the door that is shut |
| ibn Gabirol, Solomon Thou art One |
| ibn Gabirol, Solomon Thou Livest |
| Ikkyu (Sojun, Ikkyu) A Fisherman |
| Iraqi, Fakhruddin As sunlight is attributed to the moon, so is the Beloved's form ascribed to the lover; but in truth |
| Iraqi, Fakhruddin Love plays its lute behind the screen |
| Iraqi, Fakhruddin The world but seems to be |
| Iraqi, Fakhruddin These perfumes: |
| Iraqi, Fakhruddin Whether they know Thee or not |
| Issa, Kobayashi Autumn wind |
| Issa, Kobayashi From burweed |
| Issa, Kobayashi In my house |
| Issa, Kobayashi In the cherry blossom's shade |
| Issa, Kobayashi Reflected |
| Issa, Kobayashi Where there are humans |
| Jacobsen, Rolf Moon and Apple |
| Jacopone da Todi (Benedetti, Jacopone) Love beyond all telling (from Self-Annihilation and Charity Lead the Soul...) |
| Jacopone da Todi (Benedetti, Jacopone) Love, where did You enter the heart unseen? (from In Praise of Divine Love) |
| Jacopone da Todi (Benedetti, Jacopone) Now, a new creature |
| Jan, Chiao To Be Shown to the Monks at a Certain Temple |
| Janabai You leave your greatness behind you |
| Jnanadev Knowledge and Ignorance (from Amritanubhav) |
| Jnanadev The Union of Shiva and Shakti (from Amritanubhav) |
| John of the Cross Dark Night |
| John of the Cross I Came Into the Unknown |
| John of the Cross On the Communion of the Three Persons (from Romance on the Gospel) |
| John of the Cross The Fountain |
| John of the Cross The Sum of Perfection |
| Kabir (8) Within this earthen vessel |
| Kabir Between the conscious and the unconscious, the mind has put up a swing: |
| Kabir Hey brother, why do you want me to talk? |
| Kabir lift the veil |
| Kabir My body is flooded |
| Kabir The Drop and the Sea |
| Kalidas (Edwards, Lawrence) In the cloud raindrops swirl |
| Kalidasa Waking |
| Kamalakanta Ever-blissful Kali |
| Kamalakanta Is my black Mother Syama really black? |
| Kamalakanta O Kali, my Mother full of Bliss! |
| Kamalakanta The black bee of my mind is drawn in sheer delight |
| Kanaka'ole, Edith E ho mai |
| Kerouac, Jack The Scripture of the Golden Eternity |
| Khayyam, Omar [10] With me along the strip of Herbage strown |
| Khayyam, Omar [11] Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough |
| Khayyam, Omar [2] Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky |
| Khayyam, Omar [32] There was a Door to which I found no Key: |
| Khayyam, Omar [4] Now the New Year reviving old Desires |
| Khayyam, Omar [41 - later edition] Perplext no more with Human or Divine Perplext no more with Human or Divine |
| Khayyam, Omar [42 - later edition] Waste not your Hour, nor in the vain pursuit Waste not your Hour, nor in the vain pursuit |
| Khayyam, Omar [45] But leave the Wise to wrangle, and with me |
| Khayyam, Omar [6] And David's Lips are lock't; but in divine |
| Khayyam, Omar [66] So while the Vessels one by one were speaking |
| Khayyam, Omar [71] And much as Wine has play'd the Infidel |
| Khayyam, Omar [74] Ah, Moon of my Delight who know'st no wane |
| Ko Un Two beggars |
| Kuhi of Shiraz, Baba In the market, in the cloister--only God I saw |
| Lalan As the man and the woman in me |
| Lalla (Ded, Lal) Coursing in emptiness |
| Lalla (Ded, Lal) I searched for my Self |
| Lalla (Ded, Lal) I traveled a long way seeking God |
| Lalla (Ded, Lal) Intense cold makes water ice |
| Lalla (Ded, Lal) To learn the scriptures is easy |
| Lawrence, D. H. I Am Like a Rose |
| Lawrence, D. H. Pax |
| Lee, Li-Young Nativity |
| Lee, Li-Young Out of Hiding |
| Levertov, Denise Beginners |
| Levertov, Denise Scraps of moon |
| Levertov, Denise The Fountain |
| Lu Tung Pin People may sit till the cushion is worn through |
| Luria, Isaac A Poem for the Small Face |
| Machado, Antonio Hope says |
| Machado, Antonio I dreamt you took me |
| Machado, Antonio Last night, as I was sleeping |
| Machado, Antonio Lord, You Tore from Me |
| Machado, Antonio Proverbs and Songs |
| Machado, Antonio Songs |
| Machado, Antonio The Waterwheel |
| Maghsoud, Moulana Shah Go to the Winery and exchange your robe for a drink of wine |
| Mahadevi, Akka It was like a stream |
| Mahadevi, Akka Through Thee have I forgotten Thee! |
| Mahadevi, Akka You are the forest |
| Mahadevi, Akka You can confiscate |
| Maharshi, Ramana The Song of the Poppadum |
| Masahide Barn's burnt down |
| Mechthild of Magdeburg A fish cannot drown in water |
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Ivan
M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright ©
2002 - 2009 by Ivan M. Granger.
All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or
publishers.
