! In The Spirit Of Rumi - 27 Poem by Michael Shepherd

‘O My Beloved –
I lose myself in the world’s distracting multiplicity,
yet cannot find the One in my restless mind –
I am in a desert place, a place of desolation… ’

My Beloved said
see the reeds, gently swaying like swooning dervishes
on the river bank, their feet in the water –
a man could sit for hours and watch them –
are they not beautiful?

See now the reed-flute, so carefully crafted,
waiting there to sound out sadness, love and joy –
is it not beautiful?

See the musician – how his eyes shine
with the music in his soul!
Is he not beautiful?

Hear the music that he plays –
telling its stories of life and death, of heaven and earth –
is it not beautiful?

Now watch him as he plays
the music which is himself
on the flute made from the willing reed –
am I not the One you hear in this?

I am beautiful in My Oneness;
I am beautiful in My multiplicity;
Is there a greater miracle than this?

And you, the witness of all this in Me –
is there a greater miracle than yourself?