Saturday, July 3, 2010

Who Says Words With My Mouth?

I created this self-portrait/photo montage back in 2007, when I used to participate in Inspire Me Thursday on a weekly basis. When I read this Rumi poem today I felt the two needed to be together. I even added them both to my sidebar. I feel like I could have written these words myself, they're so true to where I find my thoughts lately.

Who Says Words With My Mouth?

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.
Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?
I have no idea.
My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that,
and I intend to end up there.

This drunkenness began in some other tavern.
When I get back around to that place,
I'll be completely sober. Meanwhile,
I'm like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.
The day is coming when I fly off,
but who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?
Who says words with my mouth?

Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul?
I cannot stop asking.
If I could taste one sip of an answer,
I could break out of this prison for drunks.
I didn't come here of my own accord, and I can't leave that way.
Whoever brought me here will have to take me home.

This poetry, I never know what I'm going to say.
I don't plan it.
When I'm outside the saying of it,
I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.

— from Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks

5 comments:

Anyes said...

m. this poem speaks the words in my heart, very profound :"my soul is from elsewhere I am sure of that.."
are words I often think myself quite regularly, come to think of it.
Thank you for this beautiful gift.

Happy 4th of July :-)

Teri said...

M- I think you have posted something today that speaks to quite a few of us. When I read this, I am amazed at the clarity that comes through for me too. "What am I supposed to be doing?", "I didn't come here on my own accord and I can't leave that way", "The day is coming when I fly off"------All these make it seem like I could have written these words. I think them all quite often. Thank you for the poem. I love the collage too. You are so talented!

sukipoet said...

"when I'm outside the saying of it I get very quiet and rarely speak at all"

I love Rumi and feel this is where i am now. I rarely speak at all. the collage is wonderful and so nice you found this poem to conjunct with it.

Valerianna said...

mmmmmmmm..... that's all.

m. heart said...

"This drunkenness began in some other tavern. When I get back around to that place, I'll be completely sober."
There's just a lot here that makes sense to me.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin