A review by tejuravi
The Essential Rumi by Rumi

5.0

Stunning. I read this slowly over many months, at times perplexed by Rumi's words (through translation with some extra-license by Coleman Barks, I've learned in some research) written in the mid-13th century in a language and a land I'm unfamiliar with. But every poem is full of a spirit with which I felt I got to know Rumi through reading this collection. And some poems just left me speechless and stunned. I can hardly wait to begin reading again, and I am grateful I have this volume at arm's reach any time.

Here's a few lines near the end I loved:

"No better love than love with no object,
no more satisfying work than work with no purpose.

If you could give up tricks and cleverness,
that would be the cleverest trick!"