بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum,

I am still adoring these poems, so I’ll keep sharing them. These are Hafiz’s poems from I heard God Laughind–Poems of Hope and Joy. It is also a wonderful collection of poetry that reminds me of my relationship with God. I hope you love these poems as much as I do! The first poem I have already dedicated to Sarah:

My Brilliant Image

—

One day
the sun admitted,

—

I am just a shadow.

I wish I could show you

The infinite Incandescence

—

That had cast my brilliant image!

—

I wish I could show you,

When you are lonely or in darkess,

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The Astonishing Light

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Of your own Being!

—

—

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Would You Think It Odd?

—

Would you think it odd if Hafiz said,

—

“I am in love with every church

And mosque

and temple

And any kind of shrine

—

Because I know it is there

That people say the different names

Of the One God.”

—

Would you tell your friends

I was a bit strange if I admitted

—

I am indeed in love with every mind

And heart and body.

—

O I am sincerely

Plumb crazy

About your every thought and yearning

And limb

—

Because, my dear,

I know

That it is through these

—

That you search for Him.

—

—

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Why Carry?

—

Hafiz,

Why carry a whole load of books

Upon your back

Climbing this mountain,

When tonight,

Just a few thoughts of God

Will light the holy fire.

—

—

—

Someone Should Start Laughing

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I have a thousand brilliant lies

For the question:

—

How are you?

—

I have a thousand brilliant lies

For the question:

—

What is God?

—

If you think that the Truth can be known

From words,

—

If you think that the Sun and the Ocean

—

Can pass through that tiny opening

Called the mouth,

—

O someone should start laughing!

—

Someone should start wildly Laughing—

Now!

—

—

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A Golden Compass

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Forget every idea of right and wrong

Any classroom ever taught you

—

Because

An empty heart, a tormented mind,

Unkindness, jealousy and fear

—

Are always the testimony

You have been completely fooled!

—

Turn your back on those

Who would imprison your wonderous spirit

With deceit and lies.

—

Come, join the honest company

Of King’s beggars—

Those gamblers, scoundrels and divine clowns

And those astonishing fair courtesans

Who need Divine Love every night.

—

Come, join the courageous

Who have no choice

But to bet their entire world

That indeed,

indeed, God is Real.

—

I will lead you into the Circle

Of Beloved’s cunning thieves,

Those playful royal rogues—

The ones you can trust for true guidance—

Who can aid you

In this Blessed Calamity of life

—

Hafiz,

Look at the Perfect One

At the Circle’s Center:

—

He Spins and Whirls like a Golden Compass,

Beyond all that is Rational,

—

To show this dear worlds

—

That Everything,

Everything in Existence

Does point to God.

—

—

—

Every Movement

—

I rarely let the word “No” escape

From my mouth

—

Because it is so plain to my soul

—

That God has shouted, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

To every luminous movement in Existence.

—

—

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Something Invisible

—

Once I asked my Master

“What is the difference

Between you and me?”

—

And he replied,

“Hafiz, only this:

—

If a herd of wild buffalo

Broke into our house

And knocked over

Our empty begging bowls,

Not a drop would spill from yours.

—

But there is Something Invisible

That God had placed in mine.

—

If That spilled from my bowl,

It could drown the whole world.”

—

—

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Strange Miracle

—

O Wondrous creatures,

By what strange miracle

Do you so often

Not smile?

—

—

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Forever Dance

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I am happy even before i have a reason.

—

I am full of Light even before the sky

Can greet the sun or moon.

—

Dear companions,

We have been in love with God

For so very, very long.

—

What can Hafiz now do but Forever

Dance!

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