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Sacred Poetry Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

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

 

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 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 Gabirol, Solomon "Rise and open the door that is shut,
ibn Gabirol, Solomon Thou art One
ibn Gabirol, Solomon Thou Livest
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:
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
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
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 My body is flooded
Kabir The Drop and the Sea
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
Khayyam, Omar [10] With me along the strip of Herbage strown
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 [71] And much as Wine has play'd the Infidel,
Khayyam, Omar [74] Ah, Moon of my Delight who know'st no wane,
Kuhi of Shiraz, Baba In the market, in the cloister--only God I saw.
Lalla (Ded, Lal) Coursing in emptiness,
Lalla (Ded, Lal) I searched for my Self
Lawrence, D. H. I Am Like a Rose
Levertov, Denise Beginners
Levertov, Denise Scraps of moon
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 Songs
Machado, Antonio The Waterwheel
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 Then shall I leap into love
Mei, Yuan P'u-t'o Temple
Merton, Thomas A Practical Program for Monks
Merton, Thomas Follow my ways and I will lead you
Merton, Thomas Night-Flowering Cactus
Merton, Thomas The Fall
Milarepa The Profound Definitive Meaning
Milarepa The Song of Food and Dwelling
Milarepa The Song of Perfect Assurance (to the Demons)
Milarepa The Song on Reaching the Mountain Peak
Milosz, Czeslaw Late Ripeness
Milosz, Czeslaw On Angels
Mirabai I am true to my Lord,
Mirabai No one knows my invisible life.
Mirabai O I saw witchcraft tonight
Muktabai Where darkness is gone I live,
Muktananda, Swami That which was not, came.
Nachmanides (Nachman, Moses ben) The Soul Speaks (from Hymn on the Fate of the Soul)
Namdev The drum with no drumhead beats;
Nammalvar O Lord, infinite in Thy glory,
Nasimi, Imadeddin Both worlds within my compass come, but this world cannot compass me.
Nawaz, Gharib The Second Jesus
Nematollah Vali, Shah I beheld my essence. What I saw
Nevins, Shawn The rooster crows in mid-morning,
Nirmala why fear this moment
Novalis Uplifted is the stone --
O'Donohue, John Beannacht / Blessing
Oliver, Colin Here I see no-one
Oliver, Mary In Blackwater Woods
Oliver, Mary The Ponds
Oliver, Mary Wild Geese
Pampattic Cittar Dance o snake
Pampattic Cittar One must delve deep
Pawnee (Anonymous) Let Us See
Po, Li Self-Abandonment
Po, Li The birds have vanished into the sky,
Po, Li The Cold Clear Spring at Nanyang
Po, Li Yellow Crane Terrace
Porete, Marguerite Beguines say I err...
Porete, Marguerite Humility
Porete, Marguerite Peace of charity in the annihilated life
Rabia (Al-'Adawiyya, Rabi'a) I have two ways of loving You:
Rabia (Al-'Adawiyya, Rabi'a) My joy --
Rabia (Al-'Adawiyya, Rabi'a) O God, Another Night is passing away,
Rabia (Al-'Adawiyya, Rabi'a) O my Lord, if I worship you
Rabjampa, Longchen An Adamantine Song on the Ever-Present
Ram Tzu (Liquorman, Wayne) Every time
Ram Tzu (Liquorman, Wayne) You think of the Path
Ramprasad (Sen, Ramprasad) I drink no ordinary wine,
Ramprasad (Sen, Ramprasad) Meditate on Kali! Why be anxious?
Ramprasad (Sen, Ramprasad) Mother, am I Thine eight-months child?
Ramprasad (Sen, Ramprasad) Once for all, this time,
Ramprasad (Sen, Ramprasad) So I say: Mind, don't you sleep
Ramprasad (Sen, Ramprasad) This time I shall devour Thee utterly, Mother Kali!

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Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.
All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.