The Gift

I made a trip to East West Bookshop on Roosevelt the other day. I knew I wanted to read something beautiful and poignant, but I wasn't sure of the genre, or what authors I should look for. Giving myself an hour and a half to browse, I moseyed through the aisles. I accumulated a stack of 5 or 6 books that I liked, but one book stood out among the others. A book by Persian poet Hafiz called, "The Gift."

These poems make me yearn for simplification, but also provide me a satisfaction of feeling connected to all things. He makes love feel so accessible, that it seems almost ridiculous not to feel love all the time:

We Have Not Come Here to Take Prisoners

We have not come here to take prisoners,

But to surrender ever more deeply

To freedom and joy.

We have not come into this exquisite world

To hold ourselves hostage from love.

Run my dear,

From anything

That may not strengthen

Your precious budding wings.

Run like hell my dear,

From anyone likely

To put a sharp knife

Into the sacred, tender vision

Of your beautiful heart.

We have a duty to befriend

Those aspects of obedience

That stand outside of our house

And shout to our reason

"O please, O please,

Come out and play."

For we have not come here to take prisoners

Or to confine our wondrous spirits,

But to experience ever and ever more deeply

Our divine courage, freedom, and

Light!

I have yet to read every poem in this book, but I comprehend best when I read one at a time and ponder on the passage throughout the day. I'm excited to see what other gems Hafiz has in store for me!