New Rumi Translations

My favorite Rumi translator has always been Coleman Barks. I love reading his thoughts about Rumi as well as his decoding of the poet. I've found another Rumi lover who does more of an urban type rendering. I'll share a couple here. His name is Daniel Ladinsky. These are from his book, The Purity of Desire.

In Places You Can't Reach

You might have noticed how animals may groom each other in places that they cannot reach on their own. That is what my poems are all about. What a deal!

Don't Tell Anyone About This

Once Shams gave me a very embarrassing hat to wear
and told me not to remove it unless he pulled it from
my head.

Further, he said if anyone inquired about it, I was to
act like it was the most chic attire around and never
mention him being the culprit of it's source.

You probably heard about that word "ego", and how it
roughs most up--keeps most fidgeting about all day
and obscures...the gods dancing.

But try this sometimes: if you aren't tough enough for
strange headgear, go somewhere where know one knows you,

dress like a bum, and don't bathe that day or comb your
hair. Walk around for hours muttering weird sounds;
become unseated from your norm. Though, don't go so
far a straight-jacket comes to hug you.

You have probably been glued too long to the same spot,
where light from another dimension cannot warm your
face.

There is a treasure map here for the clear-thinking mind,
and the brave.

Lovers Touching

To my eyes, lovers touching are folded wings
In a beautiful prayer.

But yes, what height and great expanse one
can also reach

when tenderness is placed upon the bow and
our spirits know no gravity.