Rumi’s Wedding Night

Tonight is Rumi’s wedding night. Rumi, a thirteenth century poet, died on this night in 1273, but it is not his death that drew me to him. His death set him free, his life captured me in the ecstatic poetry that poured out of him.

Coleman Barks translated this poetry that speaks to me like my own heart. I read it time and again, amazed that it was written so long ago by a Sufi poet and teacher. I understand the Divine Beloved, it is a concept most of us can understand even if we never find it, but if we find it? Then nothing is ever the same again.

The perfect man. The complete man. The Divine Beloved. A companion who leads us into an understanding that goes beyond comprehension. It is a way of relating to everything and seeing the order and the beauty that lurks in the darkest corners and explodes out of the brightest lights. It is best explained to me in this poem where I could put the name of my own Divine Beloved in place of Joseph.

Learn about your inner self from those who know such things,
But don’t repeat verbatim what they say.
Zuleikha let everything be the name of Joseph, from the celery seed
To aloe’s wood. She loved him so much she concealed his name
In many different phrases, the inner meanings
Known only to her. When she said, The wax is softening
Near the fire, she meant, My love is wanting me.
Or if she said, Look, the moon is up or The willow has new leaves
Or the branches are trembling, The coriander seeds
Have caught fire or The roses are opening
Or The king is in a good mood today or Isn’t that lucky?
Or The furniture needs dusting or
The water carrier is here or It’s almost daylight or
These vegetables are perfect or The bread needs more salt
Or The clouds seem to be moving against the wind
Or My head hurts, or My headache’s better,
Anything she praises, it’s Joseph’s touch she means,
Any complaint, it’s his being away.
When she’s hungry, it’s for him. Thirsty, his name is a sherbet.
Cold, he’s a fur. This is what the Friend can do
When one is in such love. Sensual people use the holy names
Often, but they don’t work for them.
The miracle Jesus did by being the name of God,
Zuleikha felt in the name of Joseph.
I understand this.