Mirza Ghalib: The drop dies in the river

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The drop dies in the river

Mirza Ghalib, Mirza Ghalib poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry, poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry, poetry

by Mirza Ghalib
(1797 - 1869) Timeline

English version by
W. S. Merwin and Aijaz Ahmad

Original Language
Urdu

The drop dies in the river
of its joy
pain goes so far it cures itself

in the spring after the heavy rain the cloud
disappears
that was nothing but tears

in the spring the mirror turns green
holding a miracle
Change the shining wind

the rose led us to our eyes

let whatever is be open

-- from East Window: Poems from Asia, Translated by W. S. Merwin

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/ Photo by SPazzo_1493 /

Themes

Bliss

Pain and Wounding

Rose

Smile

Spring Blossom

Recommended Books

	East Window: Poems from Asia, Translated by W. S. Merwin
	The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell
	Lightning Should Have Fallen on Ghalib, by Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib / Translated by Robert Bly
	Mirza Ghalib: A Creative Biography, by Natalia Il'inichna Prigarina
	The Oxford India Ghalib: Life, Letters and Ghazals, by Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib / Edited by Ralph Russel

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I love every line of this poem, but the line I keep rereading is--

the rose led us to our eyes

The rose is both that which is beautiful in nature, but in Sufi poetry it is also a symbol for the Beloved, the Heart of hearts, God. Truly seeing Beauty, we witness ourselves seeing... and only then do we come to witness ourselves. The rose is not merely beautiful; it tells us of the beauty we are in ourselves. And then we bloom!

let whatever is be open

Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World