Of Life and Light: From Rumi’s Teachings in “The Festival of Spring, from The Díván of Jeláleddín,” Part 2 of 2

Allah Hu!

“Sound Drum and mellow Flute, resounding: Allah hu! Dance, ruddy Dawn, in Gladness bounding: Allah hu! Sun exalted in the Centre, O thou streaming Light; Soul of all wheeling Planets rounding: Allah hu! O Hearts! O Worlds! how soon your Dancing all would stop, Did not His Power sustain astounding! Allah hu! Love mazy, winding, changing, all embraces, The Night, the Dawn, the Day, resounding: Allah hu Boom, Sea! on Shore, and Rock, thy Music praising God; O Nightingale to Rose trill, sounding: Allah hu! O Soul, what if one Star should falter in the Dance? His Will is Order ever founding: Allah hu! Who knows Love’s mazy circling, ever lives in God; For Death, he knows, is Love abounding: Allah hu!”

Mystical Union

“With Thy sweet Soul, this Soul of mine […], Or me and Thee when we combine? Thou have become my greater Self; Small Bounds no more can me confine. Thou have my Being taken on, And shall not I now take on Thine? Me Thou forever have affirmed, That I may ever know Thee mine. Thy Love has pierced me through and through, Its Thrill with Bone and Nerve entwine. […] Breathe deep in me that I may sigh; Yet strike my Strings, and Tears shall shine. So sweet my Tears, my Sighs so sweet, I to the World its Joys resign. Thou rest in my inmost Soul Whose depths the mirrored Heaven define. O Pearl in my Mussel Shell: O Diamond in my darkest Mine! […] O Milk of Life, so mild, so fine! Our Sweetness all blended in Thee, Give infant Lips their Smiles benign. Thou crush me to Drops of Rose; Nor beneath the Press do I repine. In Thy sweet Pain is Pain forgot; For I, Thy Rose, had this design. […] And when Thou pour me on the World, It blows in Beauty, all Divine.”