The Knowing

"And love says: I will, I will take care of you."
~Hafiz

I encountered this quote at the very beginning of Lent and was deeply moved and inspired by it. In fact, my exact words at the time were this:

"I discovered the poetry of a 14th century Sufi mystic today, and it was as if an ocean instantly opened up in the desert and swallowed my heart whole. And this was a good and comforting thing. I'm looking forward to immersing myself in this new world!"

Reading poetry from the mystical genre inspired me to write a piece of my own. I enjoyed the exercise of writing in a different "voice" of sorts--different from my usual pieces.

THE KNOWING

What are you doing here?
My soul asks
The mysterious figure emerging from the mist

I am your lover
I am here

I don't have a lover
My soul responds pointedly
And that wasn't my question

But I AM your lover
I am here
I have come to see you
And to listen

How long will you be here?
My soul asks
Still viewing the stranger with suspicion

I am your lover
I am here
And I will remain here
Until every last word has spilled from your heart

Instinctively my heart springs open
My soul rejoicing
In this homecoming
Rapture of love

I look into the eyes of
My lover
And recognize the reflection of my own heart
Looking back at me

Later
My mind queries
My heart and my soul
But how did you know?
How could you know that this was
Truly your lover?
And not another impostor?

Because
My heart and my soul answer in unison
As they lock eyes knowingly
Because
Only the lover
Knows about the secret vault of words

"For it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks." ~Luke 6:45b