poetry | wayward yogi

When Two People Are At One – I Ching

By ostii, on January 13th, 2012%

When two people are at one
in their inmost hearts,
they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze.
And when two people understand each other
in their inmost hearts,
their words are sweet and strong,
like the fragrance . . . → Read More: When Two People Are At One – I Ching

The small ruby everyone wants

By ostii, on July 24th, 2009%

The small ruby everyone wants has fallen out on the road.

Some think it is East of us, others West of us.

Some say among primitive earth rocks;

Others, in the deep waters.

Kabir’s instinct told him it was inside,

And what it was worth -

& he wrapped it up carefully in his . . . → Read More: The small ruby everyone wants

I Was Dead

By ostii, on July 16th, 2009%

i was dead
i came alive
i was tears
i became laughter

all because of love
when it arrived
my temporal life
from then on
changed to eternal

love said to me
you are not
crazy enough
you don’t
fit this house

i went and
became crazy
crazy enough
to be in chains

love said
you are not
intoxicated enough
you don’t
fit the group

i went and
got drunk
drunk enough
to overflow
with light-headedness

love said
you are still
too clever
filled with
imagination and skepticism

i . . . → Read More: I Was Dead

Please call me by my true names

By ostii, on April 28th, 2009%

Do not say that I’ll depart tomorrow
because even today I still arrive.

Look deeply: I arrive in every second
to be a bud on a spring branch,
to be a tiny bird, with wings still fragile,
learning to sing in my new nest,
to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower,
to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone.

I . . . → Read More: Please call me by my true names

Dropping Keys with Hafiz

By ostii, on April 15th, 2009%

The small man

Builds cages for everyone

Knows.

While the sage,

Who has to duck his head

When the moon is low,

Keeps dropping keys all night long

For the

Beautiful

Rowdy

Prisoners.

. . . → Read More: Dropping Keys with Hafiz

Falling Slowly for Jo

By ostii, on March 20th, 2009%

Falling Slowly, sung by Glen Hansard of the Frames and and Markéta Irglová from the beautiful film, Once.

I don’t know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can’t react
And games that never amount
To more than they’re meant
Will play . . . → Read More: Falling Slowly for Jo

Don’t Weep

By ostii, on March 14th, 2009%

Don’t weep, insects—

Lovers, stars themselves,

Must . . . → Read More: Don’t Weep

The Guest House – Rumi

By ostii, on February 8th, 2009%

This being human is a guest house
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the . . . → Read More: The Guest House – Rumi

Cast all Your Votes for Dancing

By ostii, on June 2nd, 2008%

What better way to start this blog than with my favourite poem by the 14th century sufi mystic Hafiz (or Hafez).

I am particularly fond of the verse:

Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins
That may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days
Like a broken man
Behind a farting camel.

The poem was introduced . . . → Read More: Cast all Your Votes for Dancing

wayward yogi