National Poetry Month 2010

Meister Eckhart*

HE TOLD ME A JOKE

My Lord told me a joke.

And seeing Him laugh has done more for me

than any scripture I will

ever read.

~

Rabia*

JEALOUS OF A POND

When God said, "My hands are yours," I saw that I could heal any creature in this world;

I saw that the divine beauty in each heart

is the root of all time

and space.

I was once a sleeping ocean

and in a dream became

jealous of a

pond.

A penny can be eyed in the street

and a war can break out

over it amongst

the poor.

Until we know that God lives in us

and we can see Him

there,

a great poverty

we suffer.

~

IT ACTS LIKE LOVE

It acts like love - music -

it reaches toward the face, touches it, and tries to let you know

His promise: that all will be okay.

It acts like love - music and,

tells the feet, "You do not have to be so burdened."

My body is covered in wounds

this world made,

but I still longed to kiss Him, even when God said,

"Could you also kiss the hand that caused

each scar,

for you will not find me until

you do."

It does that - music - helps us

to forgive.

~

Kabir*

I WOULD BE GLAD

You are sitting in a wagon being

drawn by a horse whose

reins you

hold.

There are two inside of you

who can steer.

Though most never hand the reins to Me

so they go from place to place the

best they can, though

rarely happy.

And rarely does their whole body laugh

feeling God's poke

in the

ribs.

If you feel tired, dear,

my shoulder is soft,

I'd be glad to

steer a

while.

~

St. Teresa of Avila*

HE DESIRED ME SO I CAME CLOSE

He desired me so I came close.

No one can near God unless He has

prepared a bed for

you.

A thousand souls hear His call every second,

bust most every one then looks into their life's mirror and

says, "I am not worthy to leave this sadness."

When I first heard His courting song, I too

looked at all I had done in my life

and said,

"How can I gaze into His omnipresent eyes?"

I spoke those words with all

my heart,

but then He sang again, a song even sweeter,

and when I tried to shame myself once more from His presence

God showed Me His compassion and spoke a divine truth,

"I made you, dear, and all I make is perfect.

Please come close, for I

desire

you."

*as translated (with much artistic freedom) by Daniel Ladinsky