Rumi (church, reform)

[Green Gaia]

If anyone has been reading my journal the past couple days, you know that I went to a Rumi poetry reading last night at my church. It was wonderful! It was set to original music composed and played by pianist Gregory Partain, and sung by soprano Hope Koehler. Before the music, we were treated to a mini-lecture on Rumi, which was very interesting. I urge anyone who like poetry, and even if you don't, give Rumi a try. He's the most popular poet in the US right now, and with good reason, I think.

One of the poems preformed last night was:

O Beloved, Be Like That to Me

The flames that dance with love,
The burning heat within the fire,
O Beloved, be like that to me.
My candle burns with longing.
It cries with tears of wax,
Like the wick of a melting candle.
O Beloved, be like that to me.
Now that we've joined the path of love
We cannot sleep at night.
At the drunken tavern,
The drummer beats the drum.
O Beloved, be like that to me.
The night is dark, the lovers are awake.
Don't bother them with thoughts of sleep.
They only want to be like us.
O Beloved, be like that to me.
Union is a raging river running toward the sea.
Tonight the moon will kiss the stars.
Majnun becomes Layla.
O Beloved, be like that to me.

[anders]

Do you mean Jalal ad-Din Rumi? He, and Hafiz, are on my priority list, if I ever get enough spare time. And I'm very curious about the story of Majnun ("the obsessed one") and his beloved Layla.

[Green Gaia]

Yes, anders the same one. He is known by several names, is he not?