Rumi and other Sufi Master Poets use terms and symbolism in their poetry to try to describe the love of the divine or God. When Rumi talks of ‘the lover’ in his poems, he refers to the Sufi in search of the Beloved and the Beloved is God in His loving Aspect. Drunk or drunkenness is the intoxication with this love and The Veil symbolises the layers of the ego that separate the self from the Beloved. A rose is symbolic of the beauty of God in His loving Aspect. This is a form of objective correlation, the term coined by TS Elliot where an object, landscape or scene is used to describe an interior state. In finding concrete imagery to define the infinite, the Sufi poets developed a language unto themselves to translate their communion with the divine.
What did Rumi have to say that appeals to people today, 700 years later?
Rumi, as well as fellow Persian Sufi poet Hafiz (1320-1389) and Indian poet Kabir (1440-1518) are known as ‘Poet Seers’ or ‘Mystic Poets.’ Their poems are a progression through intricacies of love and longing in the ultimate quest for truth. It is the transcendence of language and time that, seven centuries later, still draws readers to the mystic poets. Their poetry is an invitation to join them on their personal journey to truth. Many a modern day individual is on that journey to their own personal truth.
The Humour and Divinity of Hafiz
Hafiz writes profoundly of divinity, of what he perceives to be God, of higher powers, spirituality, metaphysics and mysticism which reach past the outer divisions of humanity. Yet his poems are humorous, often brief, seemingly simple and were written in the 14th century in Persia. These poems are revered by thousands today and his words still have a profound effect. The subtle humour in Hafiz’s poetry creates ‘lightness’ in contrast to the depth of his subject matter; the infinite realms of God.
Beyond the Words – Mystic Hidden Depths
Just as Rumi, Hafiz and Kabir have touched the hearts of millions, poetry and stories have the power to change consciousness on a grand scale. Part of the intrigue and beauty of this kind of poetry is its mystery and hidden depth which is open to interpretation by the reader. Although their symbolism is also open to interpretation and could be construed as burying the true meaning of the work, mystic poets have the ability to bear their souls through the energy of their words.
True communication is revealed in its purest form through their poetry. There is liveliness and simplicity to poetry that captures the essence of a moment or story it is endeavouring to communicate. Mystic poets create poetry that conveys a higher element beyond the words that are seen upon the page. This element communicates through the senses so that the reader uses more than just the basic functions of seeing and interpreting with the mind. Rather, they are filled by the completeness of the inspiration, the visuals, the poet and the moment that has been captured on paper in its permanence.
* From Rumi, Hidden Music, pvii.
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