The eternal tavern

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Finally you have broken away

and departed into the Unseen;

I wonder, I wonder—by which way

did you depart from the world?

 

You beat your feathers and wings mightily

and broke your cage;

you took the air and departed

towards the spiritual world.

 

You were a special falcon

in captivity to an old woman;

when you heard the falcon-drum,

you departed to the placeless.

 

You were a drunken nightingale

amongst owls;

the scent of the rose garden arrived,

you departed to the rose garden.

 

You suffered much crop sickness from this sour ferment;

finally you departed to the eternal tavern.

You went straight as an arrow to the target of bliss;

you flew to that target and departed from this bow.

 

This world like a ghoul

gave you false clues;

you took no heed of the clue

and departed to the clueless.

 

Since you have become the sun,

what have you to do with a crown?

Since you have departed from the middle,

why do you seek a belt?

 

I have heard tell of gazing on the soul

when the eyes are extinguished;

why do you gaze on the soul,

since you have departed to the soul of soul?

 

O heart, what a rare bird you are,

that in hunting for the All-Grateful

you departed towards the lance

with two wings like a shield.

 

The rose flees from autumn;

ah, what a bold rose you are,

that you went creeping along

before the autumn wind.

 

Like rain from heaven

on the roof of the earthly world

you ran in every direction

and departed by the spout.

 

Be silent

suffer not the anguish of speech;

sleep on, for you have departed into the shelter

of such a loving friend.

 

Jalaleddin Rumi