Kabir: The self forgets itself

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The self forgets itself

Kabir, Kabir poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry, poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry, Yoga / Hindu poetry

by Kabir
(15th Century) Timeline

English version by
Linda Hess and Shukdeo Singh

Original Language
Hindi

Muslim / Sufi

Yoga / Hindu

15th Century

The self forgets itself
as a frantic dog in a glass temple
barks himself to death;
as a lion, seeing a form in the well,
leaps on the image;
as a rutting elephant sticks his tusk
in a crystal boulder.
The monkey has his fistful of sweets
and won't let go. So
from house to house
he gibbers.
Kabir says, parrot-on-a-pole:
who has caught you?

-- from The Bijak of Kabir, Translated by Linda Hess / Translated by Shukdeo Singh

Amazon.com

Themes

Death

Monkey

Recommended Books

	The Bijak of Kabir, Translated by Linda Hess / Translated by Shukdeo Singh
	The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell
	Kabir: The Weaver's Songs, by Kabir / Translated by Vinay Dharwadker
	Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West, Translated by Daniel Ladinsky
	One Hundred Poems of Kabir: Translated by Rabindranath Tagore, by Kabir / Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

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Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World