May 12 2017
Ayaz – Coming to know You
Coming to know You
by Ayaz
Coming to know You
Is like being
Dismantled from the inside
One tenacious fibre
At a time
Slowly a space opens
Then a chamber
Then the sky
Into which
Flocks of doves
Are constantly being released.
— from For You: A Collection of Prayer Poems, by Ayaz
/ Image by EquinomChaidez /
The poetry of Ayaz arrived in my mail box a few years ago. The small paperback book came with a brief note, and no contact information. All I have been able to find out is that Ayaz is the Sufi name of Angus Landman.
Ayaz’s poems are short prayers and flashes of insight. Despite their simplicity and lack of ornamentation, these poems keep inviting me to re-read them.
Just two statements in this poem. Being dismantled. Opening up.
Coming to know You
Is like being
Dismantled from the inside
One tenacious fibre
At a time
The more we come to know the divine, the more our old sense of self is taken apart. Each resistant piece is gently, patiently worked free and set aside to be viewed for what it is.
Slowly a space opens
Then a chamber
Then the sky
Into which
Flocks of doves
Are constantly being released.
The gaps created may feel like wounds at first, but slowly, as more of the artificial self is dismantled, the spaces created reveal more and more. Until an inner sky opens before us. How can such unexpected joy and life be found there?
Perhaps we should we just call it the smile of the Beloved.
Have a beautiful day!
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| For You: A Collection of Prayer Poems | For You Too | |||
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Ayaz
England (Contemporary) |
“Ayaz” is the Sufi name given to Angus Landman.
The smile of the Beloved…what can be more beautiful
and comforting.
Thanks for the reminder, Ivan.
Have a weekend full of smiles and comfort.
Ivan, you always have such nice, insightful commentaries. Thank you.
the opening, the vulnerability, the deeper moving into what is – thank you Ivan, for this – for all you do.
I stopped by here,
in this silent poetry room,
for a cup of tea…
And met Coming to know You
by Ayaz, Angus Landman.
Got to read his essay Why “Perspectives”?,
which is so close to yours
“Just the slightest shift in point-of-view,
and everything around us is made new.”
“Amazing how liberating it is
to let go
and let go
and let go…”
Like in shifting sands,
moving,
floating, floating, floating
nothing to hold in….
before me
new perspectives,
behind me,
sands cover-up
the old ones…
Infinity…
Stunning poem and commentary.
And, many thanks for your work:
for casting your net of light into the cosmos
and sharing what you find there with us.