Muse

Hafiz was a Sufi mystic poet who was well known throughout Persia as a man

Apparently Hafiz was also akin to Snow White, befriending smiling animals and prancing through forests in perfect soprano. I love this picture 🙂

devoted to the contemplative life.  But he was no ordinary devotee, as his poetry reflects.  Hafiz possesses an incredible wit, honesty, playfulness and is at once simple and complex when reflecting the overwhelming joy, pain, beauty, confusion and fury of faith, life and love. Because his musings and metaphors were sometimes uncouth or delightfully bizarre,  he was branded a heretic by many in the establishment during his time and went through spells of exile.  But his poetry outlasted exile and he is now considered a great Persian classic– beloved across the world. For me, Hafiz is like my most favorite secret to drop into the lives of people I love.

Mystics exist in all religions— they are bonded together by their attraction and quest for unity with God–one that often subsumes and perhaps even transcends definition, distinction, or religion as we know it.  Whatever your leaning– be it a Christian base or Judaism, Buddhism, Atheism, Humanism, or perhaps no -ism, I’d say Hafiz has many beautiful words for you.  I’m sure I’ll be sharing more of these with you…

Before drifting to sleep, I was sifting through my tattered copy of The Gift when I came across this poem. It’s rather simple, and may not really be that representative.  But for whatever reason, this meant a lot to me earlier this week.

A Hunting Party

A

Hunting Party

Sometimes has a greater chance

Of flushing love and God

Out into the open

Than a warrior

All

Alone.